Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether plans to cascade rolling stock between rail franchises are made by officials in the Department for Transport; and whether proposed cascades have been examined by operating and engineering people to ensure that costs associated with the cascade are kept to a minimum.

In line with the Government's policy set out in the March 2012 Command Paper, which is for a market-led approach to rolling stock, the Government does not believe that the cascade of units between franchises should be planned by officials within the Department for Transport.

When proposals arise, such as the transfer of the nine Class 170 trains from TransPennine, officials will work with industry to help find a solution, but the Department has made it clear that it expects train operators and rolling stock companies ultimately to resolve such situations.