Creating Great British Railways - IET webinar presented by Rufus Boyd, GBRTT

[BasildonBob]

I've just watched a livestreamed presentation from the IET which covers some historic background, current thinking and priorities around the creation of Great British Railways, presented by Rufus Boyd, Programme Director Passenger and Freight Services, GBR Transition Team.

Some of the points covered:

• Uneven revenue recovery post-COVID. The overall figure is now at 90%, but that masks some big differences between leisure (108% of pre-COVID revenue), commuting (83%) and business travel (only 35%).
• Total 2022/23 revenue impact vs pre-COVID is -£2.116bn
• Costs continue to run ahead of income, which is exacerbated by inflation
• Fares, ticketing and retail is acknowledged as being too complicated and fragmented, acting as a significant barrier to attracting new customers, and is a top priority for GBR
• Private sector risk-taking, innovation and resilience is recognised and valued.
• Targets and objectives will be aligned between infrastructure and operations, with a single P&L
• GBR have suggested three types of Passenger Service Contract Operators - those with an element of growth incentive, those with straightforward service contracts (TfL style) and those who are contracted to run services during periods of disruption (the example given was Thameslink upgrade). There would also be a continuing role for Open Access operators. However, these suggestions have not yet been accepted by the DfT.
  

Replay available here:

Creating Great British Railways

Ambitious changes are coming to Britain’s railways, to help solve today's challenges and make rail simpler and better for years to come. In this session, you...

www.youtube.com

Rufus' presentation begins at 17:00 mins

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I've just watched a livestreamed presentation from the IET which covers some historic background, current thinking and priorities around the creation of Great British Railways, presented by Rufus Boyd, Programme Director Passenger and Freight Services, GBR Transition Team.

Some of the points covered:

• Uneven revenue recovery post-COVID. The overall figure is now at 90%, but that masks some big differences between leisure (108% of pre-COVID revenue), commuting (83%) and business travel (only 35%).
• Total 2022/23 revenue impact vs pre-COVID is -£2.116bn
• Costs continue to run ahead of income, which is exacerbated by inflation
• Fares, ticketing and retail is acknowledged as being too complicated and fragmented, acting as a significant barrier to attracting new customers, and is a top priority for GBR
• Private sector risk-taking, innovation and resilience is recognised and valued.
• Targets and objectives will be aligned between infrastructure and operations, with a single P&L
• GBR have suggested three types of Passenger Service Contract Operators - those with an element of growth incentive, those with straightforward service contracts (TfL style) and those who are contracted to run services during periods of disruption (the example given was Thameslink upgrade). There would also be a continuing role for Open Access operators. However, these suggestions have not yet been accepted by the DfT.

Replay available here:

Creating Great British Railways

Ambitious changes are coming to Britain’s railways, to help solve today's challenges and make rail simpler and better for years to come. In this session, you...

www.youtube.com

Rufus' presentation begins at 17:00 mins

Thanks for providing that link. I'll watch the video later today.

 

[winks]

Watched most of it apart from the Q&A.

Nothing of note to be honest !

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I've just watched a livestreamed presentation from the IET which covers some historic background, current thinking and priorities around the creation of Great British Railways, presented by Rufus Boyd, Programme Director Passenger and Freight Services, GBR Transition Team.

Some of the points covered:

• Uneven revenue recovery post-COVID. The overall figure is now at 90%, but that masks some big differences between leisure (108% of pre-COVID revenue), commuting (83%) and business travel (only 35%).
• Total 2022/23 revenue impact vs pre-COVID is -£2.116bn

Firstly thanks for posting the link. I take comfort that he says the run rate is down to 1.25B pa.

Also good to see that GBR will challenging standards and still reckon that possession efficiency is yet to be cracked.

• Costs continue to run ahead of income, which is exacerbated by inflation
• Fares, ticketing and retail is acknowledged as being too complicated and fragmented, acting as a significant barrier to attracting new customers, and is a top priority for GBR
• Private sector risk-taking, innovation and resilience is recognised and valued.
• Targets and objectives will be aligned between infrastructure and operations, with a single P&L

• GBR have suggested three types of Passenger Service Contract Operators - those with an element of growth incentive, those with straightforward service contracts (TfL style) and those who are contracted to run services during periods of disruption (the example given was Thameslink upgrade). There would also be a continuing role for Open Access operators. However, these suggestions have not yet been accepted by the DfT.

When he was asked a question on this i thought he was saying here that you might use different models depending on the requirements rather than a one size fits all model? Anyhow i also thought the Q&A revealed some honesty from Rufus about how much the DfT (being minded by HMT) having their sticky paws over everything is frustrating what the industry could do for itself now although he was politically sensible about it. Seems to me if Harper can't get legislation time then DfT needs to give GBR more space before we lose even more momentum let alone key staff and the industry becomes trapped in this current state for many years. Finally he mentioned that Labour talk them and know what they are about but whether that means a seamless transition should they get elected isn't clear yet.

 

[heathrowrail]

Not like any of this will happen anyway once the Conservatives are kicked out of power in 2024.

 

[JonathanH]

Not like any of this will happen anyway once the Conservatives are kicked out of power in 2024.

If the legalities are set going before 2024, they won't be repealed by an incoming government, as the incoming government will have other priorities.

 

[Gaelan]

Not like any of this will happen anyway once the Conservatives are kicked out of power in 2024.

Labour's policy is still nationalizing the railways, no? If so, I'd imagine that GBR would be a better starting point for that project than the current arrangements. On the other hand, two rail reforms in a short period is a waste of effort for everyone involved - I guess ultimately it depends on how far along the GBR project is when election day comes around.

 

[winks]

GBR just provides Labour with a head start in terms of integrating the railways and the eventual renationlisation. I’m pretty sure Labour support setting up GBR anyway.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Labour's policy is still nationalizing the railways, no? If so, I'd imagine that GBR would be a better starting point for that project than the current arrangements. On the other hand, two rail reforms in a short period is a waste of effort for everyone involved - I guess ultimately it depends on how far along the GBR project is when election day comes around.

Not only that, but on the length of contracts the present government is negotiating with private TOCs.
5 and 10-year contracts for (eg) GWR and Avanti would kybosh Labour's nationalisation plans.

Labour hasn't got a plan other than not letting new private contracts after the old ones expire.
Transport didn't figure in Kier Starmer's list of priorities recently.

 

[Clarence Yard]

And once again the present Government hasn’t realised what its civil servants have been up to when setting up those contracts.

Each NRC that has been contracted has a Core Term Expiry Date in it as well as a normal Expiry Date. Those Core Term dates fall in the period of the next Government and contract terminations can be enacted on the expiry of the Core Term.

In the case of GWR it could be back in Government hands in June 2025.

 

[heathrowrail]

Labour's policy is still nationalizing the railways, no? If so, I'd imagine that GBR would be a better starting point for that project than the current arrangements. On the other hand, two rail reforms in a short period is a waste of effort for everyone involved - I guess ultimately it depends on how far along the GBR project is when election day comes around.

Labours national policy has twice in the last 4 years also been to scrap tuition fees before quickly reversing it. If Labour wanted to nationalise the railway they could have done at any time between 1997 and 2010 but they didn't.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

And once again the present Government hasn’t realised what its civil servants have been up to when setting up those contracts.

Each NRC that has been contracted has a Core Term Expiry Date in it as well as a normal Expiry Date. Those Core Term dates fall in the period of the next Government and contract terminations can be enacted on the expiry of the Core Term.

In the case of GWR it could be back in Government hands in June 2025.

Interesting of course contracts could also be forcibly terminated and given the low value of the management fees the compensation wouldn't break the bank. Mind you if they all have relatively short term core contract dates would hardly seem to be worth the aggravation as it would take any new administration at least 12mths before they would be in a position to take such decisive action.

However, you cut it Labour will have more significant priorities and personally a hung parliament is still a probable outcome.

 

[Thirteen]

I think GBR will probably be kept but with a few tweaks more akin to what TfL does with London Overground, the DLR and the Elizabeth Line

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

This item appeared in Politico this afternoon

STILL ON TRACK: The government assured concerned businesses it’s getting on with rolling out Great British Railways — the new state-owned office that will oversee rail across Britain. But it wouldn’t pin itself to bringing forward the required legislation until after the next election. “We remain committed to reforming the rail industry through Great British Railways, which will modernize our network and better deliver for passengers and freight customers,” a spokesperson for the transport department said, after the sector raised concerns. The spokesperson added that “legislation will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows.” Which is a little vague.