HC Deb 27 May 2004 vol 421 cc1774-5W
Mr. Damian Green

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many of the new vehicles that came into service on the railways as described on page 10 of The Department of Transport Annual Report 2004 have since been withdrawn for periods of more than three weeks; [174170]

(2) how many vehicles that have entered service on the railways have subsequently been withdrawn for periods of three weeks or more in each year since 1997. [174171]

Mr. McNulty

The information is not available in the form requested. There have been cases where faults on individual trains have led to their removal from service for varying periods. Trains may also be taken out of service for periods of three weeks or more to allow for planned heavy maintenance. Among the new trains introduced since 1997, however, there is no case in which an entire fleet, or a significant part of one, has entered passenger service but is currently out of use.