§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason public funds are being used to pay for the rectification of the shortage of power on the rail network in southern England; why the power supply problems were not realised at the time the order for new trains was placed; when the power supply upgrade will be completed; what effect he estimates this will have on the Government's target for increasing passenger traffic in the coming decade; and if he will make a statement. [100301]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe power supply upgrade is necessary to allow new trains to be introduced which will replace Mark 1 rolling stock, as required by the Railway Safety Regulations 1999. The Strategic Rail Authority is working with Network Rail on an approach to funding the upgrade that does not require the investment of public funds. The belated appreciation of the need for the upgrade reflected a failure of communication within the industry. The first phase of the power supply upgrade began in 2002 and is forecast to continue through to 2005. The upgrade is not in itself expected to affect the volume of passenger traffic on the network.