Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review their policy on rail electrification as a result of the report by the Railway Industry Association RIA Electrification Cost Challenge, published in March, which highlighted that electrification can be delivered at up to half the cost of previous projects.

The Government’s policy remains that rail investment decisions will be based on assessments of value for money and passenger benefits. The Government has stated that all rail enhancements will be led by the needs they are fulfilling, rather than the methods of fulfilment. We are committed to electrification where it delivers benefits for passengers and value for money – and since 2010 we have delivered 25 times more route miles of electrification than was delivered between 1997 and 2010 - while also focusing on exploitation of new technology, such as bi-mode, hydrogen and battery technology trains. We welcome any proposals on how electrification projects can be delivered more efficiently.