In a significant policy change, DfT has officially confirmed that the growth build in the new Thameslink EMU fleet (p5) will, after all, count towards the 1 300 additional vehicles to be introduced during CP4 under the High-Level Output Specification. Subtracting the Thameslink vehicles, total HLOS commitments are now just below the 1 000 vehicles first announced by then Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander in March 2007 (RB1290 p2).rnThis cutback in the HLOS commitment was revealed in a series of written answers given in the House of Commons last month. On March 4 a table was published showing DfT's current expectations of 'new train orders'. This followed an earlier table showing that 423 vehicles had already been ordered (RB1324 p6).rnThe table of March 4 was intended to answer a question from Conservative Shadow Transport Minister Steven Hammond, who had asked for details of the 877 outstanding vehicles (1300 less 423) to be ordered. However, that table listed 550 vehicles plus 'up to 1 300 Thameslink vehicles' (RB1338 p9).
展开▼
