KashmireHawker
Member
Having got a student pack from The Times (£26 for the year is pretty good), here is the full article stating the "rail pain" we are currently facing for a number of reasons:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...241.302194004.1524430304-686787357.1524430304 (Subscription needed)
* = For info, there has been no official word by FirstGroup as of yet on if they are pulling out of the East Midlands contest - of which there is a separate thread on the 2019 Franchise can be seen here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/east-midlands-franchise-2019.163487/ - that point also doesn't mention Abellio joining the bidding list in February 2018 meaning they'd be 3 bidders remaining if First/Trenitalia withdraw.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...241.302194004.1524430304-686787357.1524430304 (Subscription needed)
Rail pain piles up as five operators totter
Even as delays soar, a stand-off with Network Rail may force train operators to scale back planned improvements
Mark Hookham and John Collingridge
April 22 2018, 12:01am, The Sunday Times
Delays are soaring, with performance getting worse in 17 of the 23 rail franchises
DAN KITWOOD
Commuters face misery as two of Britain’s busiest rail operators, South Western and Greater Anglia, are set to break promises to provide new train services to ease overcrowding and cut journey times.
The revelation, which follows a row between train company bosses and Network Rail, is the latest setback for passengers as fears grow about the financial stability of a number of operators.
Critics say four franchises could collapse by the end of the year in addition to Virgin East Coast, which is set to end in weeks after running out of cash.
It comes as a Sunday Times investigation of Britain’s rail network can reveal:
■ Delays are soaring across the network, with performance getting worse in 17 of Britain’s 23 rail franchises. On the lines run by the worst performer — Virgin East Coast — 63% of trains have been late during the past month, according to statistics showing the performance of every train at almost every stop.
■ Many passengers are so fed up they are abandoning train travel and working more days from home. Season ticket use has dropped by 8% in a year, while demand on a Friday has dropped 10% on some commuter routes, sources claim.
■ Train companies are pulling out of franchise competitions. FirstGroup and Italy’s Trenitalia confirmed this weekend they have withdrawn their joint bid from the contest to land the East Midlands franchise, leaving just two bidders.*
■ Problems mount with new trains. The introduction of 70 Hitachi trains in Scotland, costing £370m, is delayed because the “fishbowl” design of their front window means drivers see double at night.
South Western, which serves London, Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset, ran into problems when Network Rail raised concerns over its proposed new timetable.
A joint venture called First MTR took over the franchise last August, pledging to introduce 90 extra trains as part of a £1.2bn investment to ease overcrowding. After an £800m upgrade of Waterloo station, the operator planned to boost peak capacity for London this December by almost 30%, with 36 extra peak services into and out of Waterloo.
However, Network Rail warned South Western that track and signal problems on the network would get worse with the proposed big increase in services.
South Western said discussions with Network Rail were “ongoing”, adding: “We have already introduced 150 additional carriages onto the network since taking over last August.” FirstGroup, its co-owner, said the operator is profitable.
Network Rail bosses believe ambitious plans to boost services on the Greater Anglia franchise are also unachievable, sources claim.
The operator has promised to introduce 106 extra carriages and pledged, by May 2019, to run four trains a day between Norwich and London with a journey time of 90 minutes, nearly 30 minutes faster than now. Sources said the “Norwich in 90” pledge was in doubt, although Greater Anglia said: “We don’t anticipate any problems with Network Rail over this. Greater Anglia is meeting all of its franchise commitments and we expect it to continue to do so.”
Weaker than expected passenger revenues could leave some operators vulnerable to collapse if they are unable to introduce extra trains to boost income, sources claim. “We are heading for a real implosion towards the end of the year,” added one executive.
Some critics blame train companies for “over-bidding” for the multibillion-pound franchises and the Department for Transport for awarding contracts without proper scrutiny by Network Rail.
Network Rail said it would be making improvements affecting South Western and Greater Anglia in the next year.
“Passengers are already benefiting from the massive investment our railway has seen in recent years, with new services, more frequent, longer services and new stations and facilities.
“More is coming, with £130m invested each week that will deliver over 6,500 new services in the next few years.”
Delayed passengers ‘held hostage’
Commuters on South Western trains hit out at the poor service, which misses punctuality targets almost two days in every three. “We rely on the trains and we are kind of held hostage,” said Tanya Pilgrim, 45, a solicitor from Hook, Hampshire.
A guard told a reporter last week:”It’s chaos. No one knows whether they are coming or going.”
* = For info, there has been no official word by FirstGroup as of yet on if they are pulling out of the East Midlands contest - of which there is a separate thread on the 2019 Franchise can be seen here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/east-midlands-franchise-2019.163487/ - that point also doesn't mention Abellio joining the bidding list in February 2018 meaning they'd be 3 bidders remaining if First/Trenitalia withdraw.
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