Railways: Rolling Stock

Lord Bradshaw
asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 September (WA 420), when and from where First Great Western is due to receive the 52 additional vehicles to be deployed in the Bristol area; and whether that increase takes into account the number of vehicles currently on loan from Arriva Trains Wales and Northern Rail. [HL5490]

The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis)
The Written Answer of 29 September stated that 52 additional vehicles were to be deployed in the Bristol area and also on the London Thames Valley route. It also stated that this change would take place in stage 2 of the high-level output specification delivery plan. The purpose of the additional vehicles is to provide additional capacity as specified in the White Paper, Delivering a Sustainable Railway, and the allocation of vehicles to achieve this will take account of the present composition of First Great Western's fleet, and any changes which might occur. The extent to which the vehicles will be new, or transferred from other routes, remains to be decided.