Refurbish, rebuild, replace? Seeking value-for-money in rolling stock

摘要

According to the Department for Transport's (DfT) Long Term Passenger Rolling Stock Strategy Britain's passenger fleet is forecast to grow by between 53% and 99% over the next 30 years, and with the extension of electrification, it is estimated that between 13,000 and 19,000 new EMU vehicles will be required by 2044. Around 3050 vehicles will be delivered between 2015 and 2019 representing a capital investment of around £5bn. As well as the replacement of older vehicles, the fleet needs to grow to accommodate rising passenger numbers, and rolling stock shortages are already a problem for many franchises. Indeed, it is clear that new-build cannot meet the short-term need for new trains, meaning older trains are still needed by operators.