Department for Transport written question – answered at on 22 March 2017.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the incident at Retford on the East Coast Main Line on Thursday 9 March, and given that only hybrid trains can use the diversionary routes that are available, whether they intend to review the decision to go for a mostly electric fleet for the line as part of the Inter City Express Programme; what financial resources are available in Control Period 5, 2014 to 2019, to improve the reliability of the infrastructure on the line; and what resources they plan to make available in Control Period 6, 2019 to 2024.
There are no plans to review the make-up of the new East Coast fleet. Each electric set also has a small diesel engine so it can get passengers to the next station in the event of de-wirement or power loss.
In Control Period 5, Network Rail plan to spend £3 billion (in 2012-13 prices) on maintaining and renewing the London and North East Route, which includes the East Coast Main Line. The planned spend for Control Period 6 will be finalised later this year.
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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