West Coast ITT Published

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's now on the DfT web site:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/rail-passenger-franchise-intercity-west-coast/#

Having skim-read it, it's all very disappointing and unambitious.
No change to the service plan - current baseline with no new routes, beyond deploying the 4 new Pendolinos (ie extending Lancaster terminators to Glasgow and higher frequency to Liverpool).
New trains serving Shropshire and in Lancashire are dismissed as having been refused by the ORR.
The most dramatic possible change seems to be the renaming of Birmingham International to something "more appropriate".
Nothing whatever on open access competition.

On rolling stock, the Pendolinos must be used until 31 Mar 2022, the Voyagers until 31 Mar 2016.
So I suppose there is a possibility that the Voyagers could be replaced in 2016.

Everything comes down to the options offered by the bidders, with the decision being based on the price for the baseline bid (ie current service).
Much of this depends on the new timetable being developed by NR for 2013.

Looks like the DfT/Treasury wants its pound of flesh for the next 15 years, with significant enhancements put off until HS2 turns up.

 

[swt_passenger]

It's now on the DfT web site:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/rail-passenger-franchise-intercity-west-coast/#

Having skim-read it, it's all very disappointing and unambitious.
No change to the service plan - current baseline with no new routes, beyond deploying the 4 new Pendolinos (ie extending Lancaster terminators to Glasgow and higher frequency to Liverpool).
New trains serving Shropshire and in Lancashire are dismissed as having been refused by the ORR.
The most dramatic possible change seems to be the renaming of Birmingham International to something "more appropriate".
Nothing whatever on open access competition.

On rolling stock, the Pendolinos must be used until 31 Mar 2022, the Voyagers until 31 Mar 2016.
So I suppose there is a possibility that the Voyagers could be replaced in 2016.

Everything comes down to the options offered by the bidders, with the decision being based on the price for the baseline bid (ie current service).
Much of this depends on the new timetable being developed by NR for 2013.

Looks like the DfT/Treasury wants its pound of flesh for the next 15 years, with significant enhancements put off until HS2 turns up.

Exactly as expected then?

I'm surprised if you expected anything different to the draft version... When was the last time a final ITT was radically different to its draft?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Exactly as expected then?
I'm surprised if you expected anything different to the draft version... When was the last time a final ITT was radically different to its draft?

It was Philip Hammond himself who said 8 months ago in the House that the draft ITT "was not ambitious enough".
You would also have hoped the consultation would have led to some changes.
Apart from fleshing out the commercial side and correcting some errors it's just the same!
I should think Virgin will be more disappointed than the other bidders.
At least it does not mention IEP...

 

[tbtc]

the baseline bid (ie current service)

So the bare minimum that the new operator can get away with is the current level of service?

That's not too bad - there's presumably still scope for the new operator to run above/beyond that?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

So the bare minimum that the new operator can get away with is the current level of service?

That's not too bad - there's presumably still scope for the new operator to run above/beyond that?

Actually the minimum is 10% fewer station calls than the current service on any one day.
The idea seems to be that the operator can flex the service from this point as long as they maintain the current weekly level, so there might be more daily variation.
Wrexham and Carstairs are still optional (because they were not VT franchise commitments).
ITSO cards must be introduced at WC/NR-managed stations by 2015.
Nothing said about catering.
There's an odd remark about "consider whether such provision should be continued" in relation to Wi-fi - sounds rather negative.
As in the draft, the text mentions Crewe-Chester electrification as an example of an option which might be submitted, with the operator providing all the funding.
Gateline to be introduced at Birmingham New St (but not mandated anywhere else).

 

[tbtc]

Wrexham and Carstairs are still optional (because they were not VT franchise commitments)

I'd forgotten Virgin stopped at Carstairs

As in the draft, the text mentions Crewe-Chester electrification as an example of an option which might be submitted, with the operator providing all the funding

Do you know how that would work? Presumably the term of the franchise won't be long enough for the electrification to "pay for itself", especially as it'd take some time to design/complete/ work, so would the new TOC "sell" the enhanced infrastructure back to the DfT when the franchise ended?

 

[WatcherZero]

A baseline bid for the franchise with an optional for them funding the work in return for lower initial franchise payments. Kind of like 'I will pay you 100m a year for the franchise or 80m a year for the first 10 years in return for us electrifying the line'

 

[Zoe]

There's an odd remark about "consider whether such provision should be continued" in relation to Wi-fi - sounds rather negative.

Is there any need for wi-fi these days, considering most people will have smartphones that can be used for internet access.

 

[Ivo]

I don't have or want a smartphone. Do I thus lose out? Hardly a fair situation to be in.

Also, on a side note, is that it for Blackpool then, or is there still a possiblity of Virgin/whoever going there in years to come?

 

[markydh]

Which aren't much use through the likes of the Lake District where 3G mobile signal is at best sketchy and at worst non-existent. Many of us like to use our laptops which, unless one has access to a 3G dongle (or one's smartphone has the ability to act as a wi-fi hub itself), require wi-fi.

 

[Zoe]

I don't have or want a smartphone. Do I thus lose out? Hardly a fair situation to be in.

I agree but the market tends to cater for the majority so I wouldn't be surprised if wi-fi was not provided when the majority of people have alternatives. It is also possible to get datacards for laptops though.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I don't have or want a smartphone. Do I thus lose out? Hardly a fair situation to be in.
Also, on a side note, is that it for Blackpool then, or is there still a possiblity of Virgin/whoever going there in years to come?

I'm with you on smartphones. I thought wi-fi was a big selling point!

I suppose the ITT is saying that it's up to the bidders on routes like Blackpool, but they are not mandating it.
Then there is the ORR who would have to adjudicate between WC and any OA proposals (I assume there are still some being considered).
Trouble is it will be August before we know what the winning bid contains, as they aren't allowed to make the detail public until they've won.

I think it also means new stock for such services, because the existing stock will be fully deployed on baseline services.

 

[Zoe]

Much of this depends on the new timetable being developed by NR for 2013.

In the draft it said the bidders could submit their own timetables. Has this now changed to having to use the Network Rail timetable?

 

[Johnny Lewis]

and higher frequency to Liverpool).

Where is any reference made to this?

 

[swt_passenger]

Where is any reference made to this?

There isn't any reference in the ITT, which is what I think the OP was getting at when he started that particular sentence with 'No change to the service plan'.

It is possible to interpret it as meaning that the four extra Pendos will be used to Liverpool given the way he ended it though...

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Where is any reference made to this?

I agree it is not stated explicitly in the ITT, but I thought it was part of the business case for the 4 new Pendolinos; also why the lengthening project was based at Edge Hill.
The ITT says a minimum of 237 trains a week, don't know what the current number is...
We will soon know - for the December timetable change.
Actually I have my doubts that all the 11-car trains will be in service by Dec 2012 - I'm not aware they have done the first one yet.
Until then they will always be at least "1 Pendolino short".

 

[swt_passenger]

I agree it is not stated explicitly in the ITT, but I thought it was part of the business case for the 4 new Pendolinos; also why the lengthening project was based at Edge Hill.

A second hourly Liverpool service has never had a realistic business case. Even though we discuss it every few months, there is nothing published that supports it.

As far as I can work out it is based purely on this. Man Picc has 3 tph and Liverpool has only one; so that's not fair and something must be done about it.

They can't be one Pendo short, because they already have two to cover gaps, and because the timetable cannot change until Dec 2013, as the DfT have put in the ITT.

 

[whhistle]

Is there any need for wi-fi these days, considering most people will have smartphones that can be used for internet access.

That's a bit of a strange statement to say considering all the effort the likes of O2 and EverythingEverywhere are going through to get free Wi-Fi... well, everywhere!

Wi-Fi is needed more to make internet access easy and reliable.
Using a 3G signal (soon to be 4G) is un-reliable in various places of the country due to coverage, where as Wi-Fi doesn't work like that. Now that Analogue TV is finishing all over the country, there's a lot of space available for better wireless internet.

The way you wrote it makes it sound like Wi-Fi is out-dated technology, when actually it's the current-come tomorrow technology until 4G access is everywhere. 3G is older technology.

I don't have or want a smartphone. Do I thus lose out? Hardly a fair situation to be in.

You may not have or want one, but many people said that about computers and HDTV. Hell, I am even saying it about 3D but from the samples of 3D TV's I have tried, they never are worth it.

 

[Ivo]

What is 4G signal anyway?

 

[Zoe]

That's a bit of a strange statement to say considering all the effort the likes of O2 and EverythingEverywhere are going through to get free Wi-Fi... well, everywhere!

Maybe but when it was discussed elsewhere about the lack of wi-fi on FGW trains the response was that it wasn't needed as people could just use their phones. In the case of trains, someone is going to have to pay to have it installed and why should the TOC do this when people can just use their phones?

 

[Pumbaa]

I agree it is not stated explicitly in the ITT, but I thought it was part of the business case for the 4 new Pendolinos; also why the lengthening project was based at Edge Hill.
The ITT says a minimum of 237 trains a week, don't know what the current number is...
We will soon know - for the December timetable change.
Actually I have my doubts that all the 11-car trains will be in service by Dec 2012 - I'm not aware they have done the first one yet.
Until then they will always be at least "1 Pendolino short".

Lengthening is being done at Longsight. In the next few weeks, the two trailer cars from 055 are being inserted into an existing 390 to check if the software mods that the bods at Oxley have done are good enough. A week or two of trials and testing will confirm that.

The next two Pendolinos will be delivered by April (one February and one late March - April). The extra cars will arrive from March/April in batches of 4 or 8.

H3 overhauls start at Longsight at the start of April. If the new 11 car Pendolinos are ready, they can go straight into service. The existing 9 car Pendos will be lengthened as part of the overhaul process. No lengthening can take place before April though, that has always been the plan and shall always be the plan.

VRP (Virgin Rail Projects, officially managing the process on behalf of Virgin Rail Group) have said they should have at least 12 11-car Pendolinos in service for the Olympics. The entire lengthening process shall be completed by the end of 2012.

 

[Eagle]

Maybe but when it was discussed elsewhere about the lack of wi-fi on FGW trains the response was that it wasn't needed as people could just use their phones. In the case of trains, someone is going to have to pay to have it installed and why should the TOC do this when people can just use their phones?

When I'm using my phone I prefer to connect my phone to wi-fi because a) the signal will be clearer b) the rate of data transmission is faster and c) unlike 3G, wi-fi has no data charges with my phone provider, so I can use as much as I like without denting my monthly allowance (which in my case is 500 MB, and I use that up quite fast).