Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether, when life-expired railway infrastructure is being replaced, present appraisal methodology provides for the replacement infrastructure to reflect the current speeds and braking characteristics of modern trains.

The need to replace railway infrastructure is determined by regular inspections and reviews of the current state of the network. These test that the infrastructure is sufficient to safely and reliably support the type and speed of trains that it is intended to allow the operation of.