The Class 810 Aurora fleet is being delivered and maintained under contractual arrangements involving East Midlands Railway (EMR), Hitachi Rail and Rock Rail. Those agreements include contractual obligations relating to train availability and performance, together with associated performance and remedy mechanisms where contractual requirements are not met. The detailed terms of those arrangements, including any compensation or liquidated damages provisions, are commercially confidential and are not publicly disclosed.

The Department has been clear to Hitachi Rail that its management of the Class 810 fleet programme has been unacceptable. Delivery of the new Aurora trains to EMR has been significantly delayed, with the first train entering passenger service around three years later than originally planned. The Department expects Hitachi Rail to improve both the rate of fleet introduction and the operational performance of the trains already in service.

Hitachi Rail is also responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of EMR’s existing Class 222 Meridian trains, which have experienced significant performance issues this summer. The Department expects Hitachi and EMR to work together to rapidly improve the reliability of these trains.

Alex Hynes, Chief Executive Officer of Department for Transport Operator, meets Hitachi Rail regularly and is pressing the company for urgent improvements to both the delivery pipeline and fleet performance so that EMR can realise the full benefits of the new Aurora fleet. The Department continues to monitor EMR's delivery of services and performance obligations under its National Rail Contract.

Prior to the decision being made to pause the Midland Main Line Electrification programme as part of Spending Review 2025, the benefits of the scheme were being assessed. The benefits of fully electrifying the Midland Main Line (MML) are predominately those that would deliver greener transport, such as reducing carbon and improving local air quality, particularly at stations, through trains using electric traction rather than diesel.

Whilst not as clean as fully electric trains, the new intercity bi-mode trains currently being introduced by East Midland’s Railway are much cleaner and will contribute to improving air quality on the route.

Station managers in areas with poor air quality are required to develop and implement Air Quality Improvement Plans (AQIPs) which should outline feasible measures to improve air quality. The AQIPs for Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, and Sheffield stations on the MML have been developed and must be reviewed and updated annually.

The Midland Main Line (MML) is now electrified as far as Wigston, south of Leicester, which has enabled the phased introduction of East Midland Railway’s new bi-mode intercity trains to begin. As part of Spending Review 2025, however, the decision was taken to pause electrification of the remainder of the route to Nottingham and Sheffield via Derby.

Continued electrification remains part of this government’s approach to decarbonising our railways and this includes electrification of the MML. Although it is not currently funded within this Spending Review period, further electrification of the MML will be kept under active review and consideration, as part of our longer-term pipeline of proposed rail investment schemes.

The new Class 810 ‘Aurora’ trains fit more seats by using the space in standard class more efficiently than the older Class 222 ‘Meridian’ trains.

The main changes are:

• Smarter storage: luggage stacks and overhead racks have been redesigned so they take up less floor space and keep more room for seats.
• New seat design and updated seating layout: the saloons are laid out to make better use of the same footprint, while providing over 19 per cent more legroom (floor space) for passengers.

The trains still include accessible toilets, priority seating, two wheelchair spaces and two bike spaces, and now have power at every seat and improved Wi‑Fi.

Following the decision to pause further electrification of the Midland Main Line, the department has been in discussion with Network Rail regarding their plans to conclude their current activities in a safe and controlled way. This has included a review of planned route clearance works in Sutton Bonington, Nottinghamshire. As part of this review, the works at Marle Pit bridge will be replanned when funding becomes available and electrification of the route can be re-started. While this is not expected to be within the next four years, the programme is being kept under active review as part of our longer-term pipeline of schemes.

The Spending Review prioritised investment across all government spending, taking account of business cases and affordability. While I appreciate the investment opportunities that further electrification of the Midland Main Line could bring to the East Midlands, schemes that would have a more significant impact on economic growth were prioritised for funding. There is still significant investment being made in rail and we will continue to keep this project under review as part of our longer-term pipeline of schemes.

Ahead of further funding becoming available to complete electrification of the route, EMR’s new intercity bi-mode trains will provide a step change in journey quality for rail passengers travelling between South Yorkshire, the East Midlands and London. The new trains will be quieter, more comfortable and will reduce carbon emissions by running using electric overhead lines between London and Wigston, south of Leicester. When fully operational they will provide a 46 per cent increase in capacity through a mixture of a greater number of seats and units.

I recognise the importance to the UK’s rolling stock manufacturing sector, and its supply chains, of having a strategy for rolling stock and supporting infrastructure. The Government is committed to developing this strategy in advance of Great British Railways. It will include consideration of the likely long-term future rolling stock needs across the network, including East Midlands Railway’s regional fleet requirements.

Since the decision to pause further electrification of the Midland Main Line was confirmed, Network Rail have been making plans for their current activities in a way that enables work to be subsequently utilised, as and when electrification on the route is re-started. As part of this they are also establishing the potential impact of the pause on other planned works.

Midland Main Line electrification was considered as part of the Spending Review, which prioritised investment across all government spending, taking account of business cases and affordability. Continuing electrification to Nottingham and Sheffield is lower value for money, due to rising costs and as a consequence of the environmental and operational benefits already delivered through electrification of the route. Electrification between Kettering and Wigston was completed earlier this year and, together with enhancements south of Bedford, will enable the bi-mode intercity services being introduced by East Midlands Railway to operate using electric traction.

The Department’s most recent estimate to electrify the Midland Main Line to Nottingham and Sheffield was c. £1.5 billion, however, before the decision to pause the programme was confirmed, work was being undertaken by Network Rail to update their cost estimate.

Since July, Network Rail have been making plans for their current activities in a way that enables work to be subsequently utilised. The design work that will be completed will enable a more robust and up to date cost estimate to be produced, as and when funding becomes available to complete electrification of the route.

The decisions taken in the Spending Review on rail enhancements were about prioritising the schemes that provided the greatest contribution to the government’s missions affordably. Rail enhancements are funded as a portfolio and this portfolio received increased funding from the Spending Review, meaning expenditure is expected to increase overall. The final investment decision on the electrification of the Midland Mainline north of Wigston had not been taken at the time of Spending Review, and it was not prioritised for progression in the period. While further Midland Main Line electrification is no longer expected to be funded over this Spending Review period, it has not been cancelled and will be kept under active review as part of our longer-term pipeline of schemes. This decision has not led to a reduction in expenditure on rail enhancements.

The electrification of the Midland Main Line that is complete will enable bi-mode intercity trains to operate in electric traction between St Pancras and Wigston. These new trains will have more seats and will provide a step change in passenger experience.

Continuing electrification to Nottingham and Sheffield was considered in the Spending Review, which prioritised investment across all government spending, taking account of business cases and affordability, including economic and social impacts.

The next phase of electrification has been paused as it is lower value for money, partly due to rising costs and partly as a consequence of having already delivered substantial electrification, but we will continue to keep it under review as part of our longer-term pipeline of schemes.

The first lines selected were those routes that have high numbers of rail passengers and were commercially attractive for the concession partner. It is in the partner and Network Rail's interest for the concession to be cash generative as soon as possible given the agreed commercial structure where excess returns in the early years are recycled into investing in new routes. While Network Rail's partner identified the Midland Mainline to be of some commercial interest, it was not sufficiently attractive to be included in the first tranche of investment.

The new fibre is part of a wider asset renewal of existing NR telecoms infrastructure that is required for rail operational use, that will also support connectivity improvements.

I am aware that a clear pipeline of infrastructure investment supports the supply chain in planning resources effectively and ensures skilled workers can be retained. While further electrification of the Midland Main Line has been paused, there is still significant investment being made in rail. The Spending Review has ensured an affordable and credible network-wide programme of works has been established to support the Government’s mission to improve the railway for passengers and freight operators.

Midland Main Line electrification was considered as part of the Spending Review, which prioritised investment across all Government spending, taking account of business cases and affordability, including cost-benefit analysis. Continuing electrification to Nottingham and Sheffield is lower value for money, partly due to rising costs and partly as a consequence of having already delivered substantial electrification. We will continue to keep this project under review as part of our longer-term pipeline of schemes.

I appreciate the investment opportunities that further electrification of the Midland Main Line could bring to the East Midlands but schemes that would have a more significant impact on economic growth have been prioritised as part of this Spending Review. There is still significant investment being made in rail. We also need a resilient and productive rail supply chain that invests in skills, technology, and innovation to reduce costs and increase competitiveness.

The Government has committed to develop a long-term strategy for rolling stock and associated infrastructure. This work will include consideration of the likely long-term future rolling stock needs across the network, including the East Midlands, and the opportunities for different traction types including battery electric trains.