Because I'm able to separate the politics from day to day running. Because I understand that frontline staff are (most of the time...) doing their very best in spite of, not because of, their board of directors.
And ultimately I continue to patronise FGW day in day out (not withstanding the half a dozen Pullman meals a year) because they are, for the vast majority of my rail journeys, a monopoly provider.
Well if you're able to separate the politics from the day-to-day running, then explain why you seem to think removing the FGW senior management team at this point in time is a good idea - as that would have been the inevitable consequence of someone else getting the franchise - given that we are already well down the line in terms of electrification, modernisation work and preparing for IEP and other new rolling stock.
Of course the frontline staff will soldier on, but I'd also like to have senior managers in charge who are on top of the issues right now - and for the next few years, not greenhorns trying to learn the business in the middle of everything else that's going on - which is presumably the view DfT has taken.
And if the First Group board are so good at "gaming the system" and pulling the wool over DfT's eyes with such consummate skill over so many years, how is it that they have managed to lose Scotrail and Thameslink, on top of missing out on both West and East Coast, leaving them with just FGW, 55% of FTPE and 80% of a small open access operator?
Any other franchisee would also be a monopoly provider, so what's the big deal?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well, it's good to see Uckfield - Lewes mentioned, however I can't help agreeing with those on here who feel that the time for studies is over and the time for action is now.
Certainly they might as well update the BCR methodology to something more useful otherwise what's the point?
I understood that the IEP's were being introduced from 2019 onwards, but the announcement seems to suggest that they are being introduced during the franchise extension up to 2019?
What gives you the idea that IEPs were being introduced from 2019? The GW sets will enter service from 2017 - and Hitachi has to have them built and available for use, whatever the state of the wiring - and on East Coast from 2018. With 36 five-car bi-modes available to FGW, some can be used to replace HSTs bound for Scotland if necessary ahead of a full electric service starting. Any further build of bi-modes for GW services to replace HSTs to Devon and Cornwall would presumably follow the East Coast ones down the production line in 2019.
