§ Lord Berkeleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of their instruction to install the train protection warning system in all passenger and freight trains:
- (a) what is the estimated total cost of the installation;
- (b) who is responsible for funding this work; and
- (c) whether funders are able to obtain any reimbursement of these costs from government sources in respect of either passenger or freight trains [HL4166]
§ Lord Macdonald of Tradeston(a) The regulatory impact assessment attached to the Railway Safety Regulations 1999 (available in the Library) gives estimated figures of £40 million for cab fitment, £80 to £105 million for initial signal fitment and £10 million for driver training.
(b)The regulations place the duty to install train protection systems on both train operators and infrastructure controllers but do not specifically address responsibility for funding.
(c) The costs of fitment to passenger trains are not expected to be such as to trigger government payments under the cost-sharing agreements between the Government and the rolling-stock leasing companies in respect of mandatory modifications. It is to be expected that costs will in due course feed through to track access charges and in some cases to subsidies. For freight trains, if increases in operating costs make certain freight flows non-viable, then freight grants are likely to be available provided those flows generate sufficient environmental benefits compared to the road alternative.