The average age of Britain’s rolling stock fleet has fallen for the first time since 2005, reflecting the increasing number of new trains arriving on the network.
There were more than 14,000 vehicles in the national fleet at the end of 2017/18, with an average age of 19.6 years, according the new statistics from the ORR.
The average age of Britain’s rolling stock has been gradually rising since 2005 following the initial wave of investment in new trains that followed privatisation.
More than 1,500 new vehicles were ordered during 2017/18 and the ORR estimates that around 7,200 new vehicles are expected to be delivered between 2014 and 2021 – more the half of the current fleet.
As a result the average age of rolling stock is predicted to fall to 15 years by March 2021.
The youngest average age was recorded at 13 years in Q2 of 2005/6.
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