West Coast franchise delayed to Jan 2013

[Masbroughlad]

hasnt thought of that, dont know whether i should be happy or sad...

Meaning....HS2 won't be passed? And the Existing TOCs and network will be left to pick up the pieces?

HS2 MUST happen! (please)

 

[WatcherZero]

The original WCML franchise consulted on set out HS2 opening and was designed to end when HS2 opened.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Meaning....HS2 won't be passed? And the Existing TOCs and network will be left to pick up the pieces?

HS2 MUST happen! (please)

No, meaning should i be happy the government is being careful to wait till after or whether to be sad cos does this mean they think they wont get to build it.

I also think it should happen.

 

[Zoe]

Philip Hammond has announced that the new Intercity West Coast franchise will start in December 2012. Dft will try and agree an extension with Virgin but DOR could take over if there is no agreement. Also of note is that franchise specifications seem to be going back to the days of OPRAF with the annoucement that they will just contain times for the first and last trains and the minimum number of station calls.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Here's the draft ITT: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pass...invitation/pdf/tender-invitation-document.pdf

Also the train service requirement (a single page of first/last trains to London) http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pass...-draft-tender-invitation/pdf/attachment-a.pdf

Very difficult to draw conclusions, as it's mostly contract-speak and where you might have expected some future service detail, there is none because that's up to the bidders.

Bidders can also have whatever rolling stock they want (but will be charged for the Pendo and Voyager fleets until they are relet to somebody else!).

I also noticed Wrexham and Carstairs are not (were not) in the franchise spec, it's up to bidders if they want to stop there.

Nothing on new routes or using spare paths, nor on services to Blackpool/Shrewsbury etc.

Looks like TPE's Scottish routes are staying separate.

Baffling.

 

[Zoe]

The minimum service level doesn't seem to have requirments for each direction. For example the Birmingham to Scotland services only require a single call at Motherwell each day so there may well only be a direct service between Birmingham and Motherwell in one direction unless the requirments listed apply in both directions.

 

[WatcherZero]

606 services a week between Stockport and Euston??? And did they really have to specify minimum 732 services a week for Milton Keynes?

Clearly its set up with minimum Euston services so that the Southern WCML is highly specced but the Northern WCML is open to alternative destinations.

 

[YorkshireBear]

so i guess its not as radical as they say?

 

[Zoe]

606 services a week between Stockport and Euston??? And did they really have to specify minimum 732 services a week for Milton Keynes?

Compared to Reading, Milton Keynes gets quite a poor deal at this time. There is still the question on if the minimum service levels apply to the combined total in both directions or not. I think it's reasonable that there is a requirment to maintain at least the existing level of service on the south WCML. Remmber that what they are setting is a mimimum level of service and not telling the bidders exactly what services they must run. Philip Hammond made a point of saying that the franchisee could if they wanted make more calls at Nuneaton than they are required to.

 

[WatcherZero]

There does seem to be a stand offish approach by the Dft this time, for example on catering just two sentences saying the bidder is free to specify their own service and implementation plan.

The investment protection is in 'When investment in a station raises the value of that station the increase is considered to be an asset, at the end of the franchise the next franchisee must pay the outgoing toc the value of its assets.

Franchisee will be responsible for ALL maintence at the stations it operates and will pay NR a peppercorn rent. No more 'eye level only' responsibility or having to have NR manage the commisioning of maintence work though it must still laise with them.

The existing level of gating MUST be retained as a bare minimum but franchisee is free to increase the number of gated stations.

Franchisee must implement ITSO issuing and validation at the following stations: Birmingham International, Carlisle, Coventry, Crewe, Lancaster, Macclesfield, Preston, Rugby, Stafford, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Wolverhampton.

In addition it must work in partnership with NR to install at the following stations: Birmingham New St, Edinburgh, Glasgow Central, Liverpool Lime Street, London Euston, Manchester Piccadilly.

All other stations the installation of smart ticketing is voluntary. The date for implementation is Feb 2015, in addition Oyster readers will have been modified to read ITSO by Jan 2013.

Bidder is free to suggest Zonal ticketing schemes at in areas outside London.

On HS2 it says from mid 2019 to expect a number of 260m electrified platforms to become available at Euston for use, there will be a new station entrance and the West Coast Franchise could use these platforms for around 6 years. While construction work is underway 3 of the 17 platforms will be unavailable at any one time.

The Lancashire Triangle electrification will lead to increased services in this area, it will also strengthen the WCML power supply so more services could be operated if desired. The bidder is free to propose increased electrification such as from Crewe to Chester if they demonstrate how they will plan, build and finance them.

Class 390 are leased until 31/03/2022
Class 221 are leased until 31/03/2016

No less than 30% of each fleet should be fitted with automatic passenger counting.

 

[All Line Rover]

I also noticed Wrexham and Carstairs are not (were not) in the franchise spec, it's up to bidders if they want to stop there.

To me the specification doesn't seem much different to the previous one!

To be honest the "direct" service from Wrexham is a bit pointless, because it waits at Chester for TWENTY MINUTES (!) to be coupled with another Voyager from Holyhead. This makes the "direct" journey no quicker compared to changing at Chester. To prove the point:

• "Direct" Wrexham to London service - 2h 38m
• Wrexham to London with a 15 minute connection at Chester - 2h 36m

I don't see the point of the Wrexham service, and I don't think many people will be bothered if it goes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Virgin Media Room post: http://mediaroom.virgintrains.co.uk/2011/05/virgin-rail-group-welcomes-west-coast.html

 

[Masbroughlad]

If that's innovative, the jokes on the horse thread were good!

What a damp squid and a huge waste of time, paper and effort!

 

[Zoe]

If that's innovative, the jokes on the horse thread were good!

It allows more freedom than now, it won't be a case that every single train in the timetable has to run exactly as specified by the dft.

 

[Masbroughlad]

It allows more freedom than now, it won't be a case that every single train in the timetable has to run exactly as specified by the dft.

Freedom to do the bare minmum!

 

[Zoe]

Freedom to do the bare minmum!

So you would prefer to have every service specified exactly by the dft?

 

[Masbroughlad]

So you would prefer to have every service specified exactly by the dft?

Just think the service levels set are pretty poor.

For example, intercity routes, I think a better catering spec needs giving - hot food and a buffet on peak trains. Light refresments on all others etc.

We don't want another XC fiasco of a trolley service on West Coast.

I would like to have seen some new services in there too - ones not currently on West Coast eg. Blackpool. I thought that was possibly one reason why the OA operators were turned down.

 

[tbtc]

So you would prefer to have every service specified exactly by the dft?

That's it in a nutshell.

If DFT specified exactly what menu options the TOCs had to offer/ what minute past the hour each service departed/ what colour of seat fabric should be used then we'd all complain about micro-management...

...then when they don't do this (and leave a little scope for innovation) we complain that they aren't going far enough. They can't win!

 

[Masbroughlad]

More a case of not setting actual train service levels so low, that's all. More trains would stop people doing the bare minimum.

So much depends who gets it. A company like SeaContainers (yes, I know they don't exist anymore) would have a high level of catering, Arriva would probably give you bread and Jam and a cup of water - if you were lucky!

So, no to micro-management, yes to sensible service levels and standards!