South Western Railway: Rolling Stock — Written Question

Question

Mr Richard Holden

Conservative — Basildon and Billericay

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 90406 on South Western Railway: Rolling Stock, what the the total cost is of the renewed rolling stock leasing contract; how long that contract is for; and if she will make a comparative assessment of the (a) cost and (b) annualised cost of (i) the current contract and (ii) previous leasing arrangements.

Answer

Simon Lightwood

As part of the transfer to public ownership of South Western Railway’s operations, the Department undertook modelling to assess whether the costs associated with new rolling stock leases were objective and reasonable. Details of the new leases, including their value and duration, have been published on the Government’s Find a Tender website.  The ORR also publish consolidated details of rolling stock costs for each train operator as part of their annual statistical releases.