Rolling Stock

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the additional cost per vehicle of the proposed new Intercity Express trains which is directly attributable to the inclusion of a bi-mode capacity, as compared to an electric train operating with a diesel engine coupled for non-electrified sections of track. (301146)

The Department for Transport's analysis suggests that the costs of the bi-mode train, and the electric train followed by diesel loco-haulage, are around the same. The advantages of the bi-mode option are that it will not result in delay to passengers as a locomotive is being attached, that it will provide a more reliable service and that it does not require potentially expensive and disruptive infrastructure work at stations to facilitate the attaching of a locomotive.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much space will be allocated per seated passenger in (a) standard and (b) first class on the new Intercity Express trains; and how it compares with space allocations on existing rolling stock operating on the East Coast Main Line. (301149)

Uni-directional seats (those not located around a bay-table) on the new Super Express Trains will have approximately (a) 750mm knee-room in standard class and (b) 915mm knee-room in first class. Similar seats on current Mark 4 carriages on the East Coast Main Line have approximately (a) 700mm knee-room in standard class and (b) 1010mm knee-room in first class.