Cross Country not fulfilling requirements?

[FQ]

Before I start, no, this thread is not for bashing voyagers. Although, knowing it's about XC, it will probably come to that .

What It is about is that IIRC, as part of XC's franchise requirement, they need to at least 4 HST sets a day, which is not being fulfilled.

Am I correct?

Cheers!

 

[PHILIPE]

Before I start, no, this thread is not for bashing voyagers. Although, knowing it's about XC, it will probably come to that .

What It is about is that IIRC, as part of XC's franchise requirement, they need to at least 4 HST sets a day, which is not being fulfilled.

Am I correct?

Cheers!

I believe it is only at weekends. They won't use them all during the week as it saves them some detail although not clear of the actual detail of this, perhaps Track Access charges.

 

[Minilad]

I don't believe there is anything in the franchise agreement that says XC must use 4 HST sets a day. There is a specified minimum amount of seats to be available at certain times on certain routes but nothing that says the amount of HSTs in service daily

 

[ainsworth74]

I believe it is only at weekends. They won't use them all during the week as it saves them some detail although not clear of the actual detail of this, perhaps Track Access charges.

Actually I think the HST are used on a 'pay as you go' basis. So rather than a fixed lease charge they pay for how much they actually use them. At least that's my recollection.

 

[FQ]

Thanks for the conformation guys!

 

[cactustwirly]

Nothing in the franchise requirements about HSTs, they don't even have to have them. A bit like FGW/GWR and the 180s & 150/0s.

 

[Stats]

Nothing in the franchise requirements about HSTs, they don't even have to have them. A bit like FGW/GWR and the 180s & 150/0s.

Their agreed fleet plan written in to the franchise agreement contains 5 x 8 car HST sets, so yes, they are required to have them otherwise they'd be in breach of their franchise agreement unless they negotiated an amendment to it.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Basically that. My recollection is that they have to have the HSTs but they don't have to use them, so they don't.

As for franchise non-compliance, they were non-compliant for years because they never bothered installing WiFi. There were fields full of all the stuffs the DfT didn't give.