And the new Greater Anglia Franchise goes to….

In a press release from the Department of Transport this morning, The Minister of State for Transport (Rt Hon Theresa Villiers) announced:

I can today announce that Abellio Greater Anglia Limited has been awarded the Greater Anglia (Short) franchise.

The new franchise will begin operation on Sunday 5 February 2012. It will operate for 29 months (32 rail industry periods).

Bids were received from Abellio Greater Anglia Limited (NV Nederlandse Spoorwegen), Eastern Railway Limited (Go-Ahead Group PLC), and Stagecoach Anglia Trains Limited (Stagecoach Group plc).

Abellio Greater Anglia Limited has been chosen to run trains on the network, which operates across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. The franchise will also play a significant role in transport for the London 2012 Games providing crucial services to the Olympic Park area.

The terms of the contract the Government has agreed with the winning bidder will deliver a series of improvements for passengers during the 29 month franchise.

These include providing better station and ticket facilities and measures to improve passenger information. A text messaging service to keep passengers informed if service disruption occurs will be introduced. New information desks will be provided at major stations including London Liverpool Street, Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich and Stansted Airport.

The new franchise will make it easier for passengers to buy tickets, including:

• extending Oyster Pay As You Go between London Liverpool Street and all stations to Shenfield, and stations to Hertford East
• improvements to ticket vending machines, and
• introducing mobile phone and print-at-home ticketing facilities.

Abellio Greater Anglia Limited has also committed to provide an additional 600 car park spaces (subject to planning approvals), more cycle storage facilities and deliver a number of other measures to improve the service to customers including deep cleaning of stations and trains.

The train company will take over station leases from Network Rail, taking on responsibility for all repairs and renewals at stations. This accords with the Government’s overall franchise reform programme which advocates transfer of more responsibility for stations to train operators as the passenger-facing side of the rail industry.

To date, only overall figures for the performance of the franchise as a whole have been published. From the start of the new franchise, Abellio Greater Anglia Limited will start publishing a break down of punctuality figures by route giving passengers more transparency over the performance of the lines they use. The reliability requirements for the new franchise are also more demanding than the previous one.

When the franchise is renewed again in July 2014, the contract is expected to be 15 years in length. This forthcoming franchise will provide the opportunity to seek further improvements for passengers. We also intend to draw on the work of Sir Roy McNulty in setting the terms of the franchise with the aim of reducing costs and improving efficiency.

 

All together now, Nah Nah Nah Nah, Nah Nah Nah Nah, National Express GOODBYE!!!

 

Philip Hammond leaves Transport in ‘mini-reshuffle’

From: Rail News.co.uk

THE TRANSPORT SECRETARY Philip Hammond is moving to the Ministry of Defence, following the resignation of defence secretary Liam Fox. His replacement is Putney MP Justine Greening.

Mr Hammond has been in the top political job at the Department for Transport since the election in May 2010, and has overseen the launch of the controversial McNulty report into railway ‘value for money’ as well as supporting higher rises in train fares and the construction of High Speed Two, which is set to be the first domestic High Speed line in Britain.

He has also presided over and backed the award of the £1.4 billion Thameslink rolling stock contract to German-owned Siemens — a move which has been bitterly criticised in some quarters, particularly in the East Midlands where the losers Bombardier would have built the fleet of 300 trains.

He leaves as Network Rail is poised to move into a new era, with devolution of day-to-day management to route level due to take place on 14 November.

This change is being accompanied by hopes that Network Rail’s new route managing directors will be able to contain costs more effectively, particularly as the routes will be financially compared with each other over time through a system of benchmarking.

Mr Hammond will be handing the draft of a forthcoming railway White Paper to his successor.

His most controversial remark was probably his description of railway travel as often being a ‘rich man’s toy’, when he was being questioned by the House of Commons Transport Select Committee a few weeks ago.

Rethink on rail franchising welcomed by train operators

A REVISED franchise timetable announced by the transport secretary has been welcomed by the Association of Train Operating Companies, but the largest rail union has condemned the new plans as a ‘rip-off’.Philip Hammond has reduced the length of the First Capital Connect franchise, and extended others.  He has also accepted that East Coast cannot now return to private sector operation before the end of 2013.

The transport secretary said the changes were being made to provide ‘clarity to the market’.

He explained: “In producing this timetable, I have had regard to the impact on bidders and  their sub-contractors of trying to compete for too many franchises at once, and the likely reduction in value for money to the taxpayer that would result. “

The present FCC franchise will now end in September 2013, almost three years early

Mr Hammond’s new timetable means that Great Western and Thameslink (currently First Capital Connect) have been brought forward (by 35 months and 18 months respectively), the next Northern and TransPennine Express can now have a simultaneous start date of April 2014, while two other franchises (East Coast and Greater Anglia) have been extended.

In at least one case, Mr Hammond’s hand has been forced: FirstGroup has already announced that it will surrender the Great Western franchise in 2013. The group therefore avoids paying more than £800 million in premiums which would have been due in the last three years of the original contract.

Three franchise replacements – West Coast, South Eastern and Essex Thameside (currently c2c) – remain unchanged. However, talks are continuing over whether Virgin Trains should continue to operate West Coast between March 2012 – its original expiry date – and December, with the Department for Transport’s own operator Directly Operated Railways poised to step in to fill the gap if necessary.

ATOC, which has been calling for less restrictive franchises, welcomed Mr Hammond’s announcement.

The Association’s chief executive Michael Roberts said: “The next few years present a chance to improve fundamentally how the railways are run.  On the right terms, longer and less prescriptive franchises would give train companies more opportunity to invest in improvements, respond more quickly to passengers’ needs and reduce costs.

“We welcome the government’s commitment to a horses for courses approach to franchising. The secretary of state rightly recognises the scale of work ahead to translate principle into practice – his announcement will allow the government and bidders alike to plan how best to respond.”

However, the RMT union dubbed the transport secretary’s plans a ‘rail franchise rip-off’, particularly as the next round of franchises are expected to last longer.

Chiltern Railways takes the lead in rail fare simplification

Chiltern Railways has become the first rail company to respond to calls by rail passengers and Government to simplify rail fares.

The changes have been introduced for the launch of their new Mainline service between Birmingham and London in September and aligns with recent recommendations from the McNulty value for money report.

The company has borrowed from well established practices in the retail sector and deliberately chosen price points that passengers will be able to remember – and applied them to an entire region.

The new, on the day, return fares between Birmingham and London will be as follows:

•     £75 Any train, any day
•     £50 Any train, any day except trains arriving in London during the morning peak period
•     £25 Any train, any day except trains arriving in London during the morning peak period or leaving London during the afternoon peak period.

These fares will apply from all Chiltern’s West Midlands stations from Birmingham Moor Street via Solihull through to Warwick Parkway.

Passengers will no longer need to remember different prices if they sometimes use different stations and the add-on fare for a London Travelcard will always be £5.

The cheapest £25 return ticket will now be valid for more of the day than ever before, an additional 1.5 hours London bound and an additional 5.5 hours towards Birmingham.

Passengers will be able to travel on any train arriving into London after 11:30 and those travelling north will just need to avoid the 4pm to 7pm peak on weekdays.

As part of this new approach, Chiltern have cut the peak fare from most stations from £85 to £75.

This follows criticism of train companies that the steep fall in train pricing after the end of the evening peak encourages overcrowding and that peak fares are too high.

Chiltern’s peak fare will now be ‘virtually half that of the Virgin route into Euston’ – coupled with fastest trains having near equivalent journey times; just 90 minutes from Birmingham and 1hr 10 minutes from Warwick Parkway.

Thomas Ableman, Director at Chiltern Railways, commented:

“Passengers tell us they want fast trains, free wifi and a simple pricing structure that they can understand. We’ve developed Chiltern Mainline to deliver all of these things.

“We believe that customers shouldn’t be held to ransom by extortionate walk up fares or held captive in stations with an endless wait until the ever-extending evening peak is over. Our new fares are a commitment to customers to avoid unnecessary complexity and make it easier for them to travel.”

Advance tickets will still be available, but Chiltern will not be promoting them as heavily in the future.

Online train fare jargon ‘can make passengers pay too much’

Rail passengers may be paying too much for train tickets bought online, a consumer watchdog says.

Train companies that use websites to sell tickets must do more to ensure passengers are not overcharged, added Passenger Focus.

Operators and the sites themselves need to make clear the difference between tickets that are only for specific trains and those that can be used on any service, the group said.

Restrictions associated with the time of travel also need to be made clear, as well as the ‘permitted routes’.

Jargon on tickets needs to be cut and a range of improvements are required to make it easier for passengers to buy tickets on the internet, Passenger Focus added.

The watchdog’s chief executive, Anthony Smith, said: ‘It is too easy to pay over the odds simply through lack of familiarity with the fares system and its bewildering jargon.

‘Making sure passengers are not overcharged when they buy online may help improve passengers’ perceptions of fares and value for money on Britain’s railways.

‘As more and more tickets are sold online, it is vital this is got right.’

Gerry Doherty, leader of the TSSA rail union, said cuts in ticket office staff levels and opening hours had forced more passengers to book online. ‘Ministers must ensure that when they award longer rail franchises, they insist that ticket offices are kept open to ensure a fair deal for passengers,’ he added.

The ‘vast majority’ of the millions of rail passengers who travel each day were getting the right ticket for their journey, a spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies said.

‘We are continuing to work closely with the industry and Passenger Focus to ensure we make it as easy as possible for passengers to find the right ticket at the right price,’ he added.

Hull trains satisfying customers while First Capital Connect disappoints

First Hull Trains and the Heathrow Express have been ranked as the best rail operators among customers.

Heathrow Express Class 332 EMU 332005 at London Paddington

The National Passenger Survey, which consults 50,000 rail users across the UK, found that First Hull Trains and Heathrow Express ahead of other operators, followed by Mersey Rail, c2c and Virgin Trains when it came to satisfaction levels

Lowest ratings for overall satisfaction were given to First Capital Connect, National Express East Anglia (78 per cent), First Great Western (82 per cent), Southeastern (82 per cent) and Southern (82 per cent).

Overall satisfaction has remained steady at 84 per cent, matching last year’s high score. However, drops in scores for performance and value for money for some train companies are sparking concern.

Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus, chief executive said: “The rail industry needs to re-double efforts to make sure that poor performance is spotted, understood and addressed. Getting trains on time remains the key driver of passenger satisfaction.”

All is not lost for Bombardier despite Thameslink setback

I found this statement from Heather Wheeler, the Conservative MP for South Derbyshire and thought it raised some valid points.

LIKE you, I was shocked and disappointed to hear that Bombardier had lost out to Siemens in its bid to build the new trains for Thameslink, and will be asking questions of ministers and in the House as to why this has happened, writes MP Heather Wheeler.

It is important not to lose sight of the fact that the Government intends to retain Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd with VeloCity as the reserve bidder in the event that contracts cannot be satisfactorily finalised with Siemens.

I am asking particularly if part of the tender can be subcontracted to any of the businesses which form the Derbyshire Rail Forum, including Bombardier.

Other members may be able to tender for work from Siemens and we hope they will be successful. ESG, which is already expanding its facilities in Bretby, is one of these, so hopefully some of this contract will come back here.

It is not all gloom and doom, as Bombardier has a number of active orders at its Derby plant, the largest of which is 1,300 carriages for the Sub-Surface lines, due for completion by 2014.

The company has employed a number of contract workers on short-term contracts to cope with this peak activity.

Bombardier is also one of the bidders who have pre-qualified for the Crossrail rolling stock order (around 600 carriages), with the contract award expected in late 2013, and is a potential bidders for the new LUL tube trains, which could total up to 3,400 carriages.

There has been a lot of anger and disbelief in both the railway and National press regarding the fact that the Thameslink rolling stock contract has gone to German company Siemens.  The fact of the matter is that, with the findings of the McNulty review, rolling stock procurement as well as other facets of railway life now have to offer value for money to the British taxpayer. 

As unfortunate as the loss of this contract is, the future for Bombardier could still be secured if they can gain the contract for either the Crossrail rolling stock or to continue producing tube stock for London Underground.  Work on the “S Stock” Underground trains for the Metropolitan, Circle, District & Hammersmith & City Lines should see work continue until 2014 which should give enough time to gain more work.

 

Coalition Government reveals new measures to tackle fare evasion

As part of the McNulty Report, several areas have been analysed to find out where cost savings and revenue generation can be achieved.  Due to the large amount of fare evasion on the UK rail network, the Coalition have decided to act.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me to introduce the Government’s solution to the problem of fare evasion;

A Government spokesperson was quoted as saying. “The new rolling stock is perfect for tackling fare evasion as those who fare evade will seriously consider their future after riding one.”

 

Overhaul of rail fares to simplify ticketing announced

A long overdue move to simplify the maze of fares faced by rail travellers will be announced tomorrow.

The government aims to save £1bn a year by the end of the decade in the biggest revolution of the network since the railways were nationalised.

Train Operating Companies will shoulder two-thirds of the proposed cuts and Network Rail the remaining third. However, the grim reality for passengers is more years of inflation-busting ticket price rises.

Greater emphasis will be placed on simple, flexible ‘airline-style’ ticketing, where passengers pay more when a train is full and less when it is empty.

The changes will follow the ‘value for money’ report of government trouble-shooter Sir Roy McNulty, who will present his report tomorrow.

Sir Roy is expected to heavily criticise escalating costs and partly blame trade unions’ demands.

His verdict could lead Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond into battle with RMT union boss Bob Crow. Mr Hammond will point to studies showing it costs 40% more to operate the UK rail network than systems in Germany, Holland and France.

There is also a likelihood that travel perks enjoyed by up to 500,000 former BR staff and their families will be targeted.

The Government is already committed to annual fare rises of Retail Price Index inflation plus 3% for the next three years. In response, Mr Hammond will announce the setting up of a ‘fares review’.

Government outlines requirements for Greater Anglia Franchisees

National Express East Anglia Class 315 EMU

The Government has set out the level of service it expects from companies bidding to run rail services in Greater Anglia, following today’s publication of the invitation to tender document for the short 17-month franchise.

The new operator will take over from February 2012 and would be responsible for delivering services to destinations from London and across Greater Anglia – including Great Yarmouth, Kings Lynn, Southend, Ipswich and Cambridge – until at least July 2013.

Three firms – Abellio Greater Anglia, Eastern Railway and Stagecoach Anglia Trains – have been shortlisted for the Greater Anglia franchise, which is currently run by National Express East Anglia.

As one of the rail franchises serving Stratford and the Olympic stadium the new operator will be responsible for introducing longer and more frequent trains during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Government has set out the following objectives for the franchise in the invitation to tender:

• Delivering a quality of service for passengers for the entire rail journey.
• Working with the Department and other stakeholders to ensure value for money.
• Managing and delivering changes required to accommodate Crossrail.
• Working effectively with Network Rail to maintain performance.
• Delivering longer and more frequent services to support the London 2012 Olympic Games.
• Controlling operational costs and maximising revenue.

As part of the bidding process each of the bidders will also need to set out how they intend to improve passenger satisfaction in the service they would provide.

The Government plans to reform rail franchising and to lengthen rail franchises to around 15 years.

This shorter franchise will allow time for reforms identified by Sir Roy McNulty’s review of the rail industry’s value for money to be properly considered and built into the terms of the subsequent Greater Anglia franchise.