No jimm, I don't think you understand how it works. For example, Plymouth Labour MP Luke Pollard was on the transport select committee and hopefully will be again going forward. He then directly quizzes the DFT and ministers over things such as buffet provision. MPs have more sway than you may think trust me. Similarly, any MP can raise questions in the house . Look at the furore over pacer trains in the north. Political pressure certainly played a part in getting them scrapped. And political pressure will be the way forward to give south west passengers a better deal on GWR, whether that be more 9 car sets sent this way, or pressure to bring back buffets.
I understand full well how it works. And governments of whatever colour have a fine tradition of ignoring select committee reports and not deigning to actually provide proper answers to questions raised by MPs. Have you ever actually watched Prime Minster's Questions? The same happens in questions to departmental ministers sessions, come to that. And in written answers to written questions.
The political pressure about Pacers achieved naff all during the previous Northern franchise, which was let despite plenty of evidence that there was a need to sort out the rolling stock available back in the mid-2000s at the time the 'no growth' franchise was awarded. The new franchise and the need to replace non-PRM-complaint trains, plus the Pacers being knackered after 30+ years in service, had rather more to do with them being replaced than anything that an MP ever said.
DB take the view that catering is part of the product they offer and is a unique selling point for getting passengers to use rail.
Here we know the cost of everything and the value of nothing so we continue the race to the bottom in terms of quality. Everything on what was once the IC network is becoming more and more dumbed down. I will welcome the day that the punters wake up and realise they are being ripped off and decide not to use the railway.
And DB are able to take a big financial hit on catering as they do not have shareholders to answer to, other than the German government. I must have missed all the crowds besieging the bistro car on my last ICE trip to enjoy a vital part of their rail journey experience - because there weren't any, just some of the group I was travelling with having a coffee or beer.
So you want people to stop using trains and add to the congestion on the roads, do you? And make everyone pay more for their tickets to cover all the catering losses?
All because they have been denied the 'right' to have an over-salted bit of bacon in a so-called 'baguette', which was one of the highlights of GWR HST buffet fare in recent years - and was clearly a key driver in people choosing to use the train over stopping at a service station on the M4 for a break and the chance to feast on the cordon bleu meals available there...
Yes, LNER have got it right with both trolley and a buffet. I suspect the power of the Scottish government has something to do with that. Comparable journeys to south west Britain sadly do not receive the same political support.
Yes, I've been wondering why DFT has such a hold over GWR, but as you say it's probably more a case of Scottish Government influence with LNER.
The madness is that if GWR is ever retendered rather than having what seems like a continually extendable franchise, the succulent bidder will undoubtedly offer an improved catering provision which the DfT will happily take up and boast about.
Clarence Yard has tried once or twice to explain that the DfT wasn't willing to listen to anything that was said about the interiors for the GW part of the IEP order, whereas on East Coast there was a later cut-off date, linked with the franchise bid process, so the DfT was willing to discuss options.
Nothing to do with the Scottish government, never mind its (very limited) influence with LNER - an organisation which didn't actually exist at the time the details of the East Coast IEP order were finalised with Virgin, as the successful bidder for the franchise... but don't let boring old facts get in the way of your conspiracy theories.
Should there ever be another GW franchise contest, bidders will be subject to intense scrutiny from the DfT over cost control measures and making sure that they are able to meet their financial promises - something which has been a bit of a problem on the East Coast once or twice now, in case you hadn't noticed.
Any suggestion that a new franchise should shell out extra millions each year to cover losses on catering - and affect their ability to pay premiums to the DfT - is likely to get short shrift.
Next we'll have someone demanding that XC should also bring back buffets.
