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MTR link up with First Group for SW franchise

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plcd1

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An interesting development to bring in some "TfL friendly" metro operational experience alongside First Group for the bid for the SW franchise.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/mtr-joins-firstgroups-bid-for-south-western-rail-franchise.html

UK: Shortlisted bidder FirstGroup announced on May 16 that MTR Corp (UK) is to join it in a joint venture to bid for the next South Western rail franchise.

The Department for Transport has appoved the agreement, which will see the UK subsidiary of Hong Kong-based transport group MTR take a 30% stake in the joint venture. Both FirstGroup and MTR already hold Pre-Qualification Questionnaire Passports enabling them to express interest in franchises without resubmitting financial and other competence data.

‘We are pleased that we will be partnering with MTR in a joint venture to bid for the South Western rail franchise, for which we were shortlisted in February 2016’, said First Rail Managing Director Steve Montgomery. ‘We have extensive expertise of running commuter, inter-urban, regional and long distance services – such as those that make up the South Western franchise – and a strong track record in delivering passenger growth. MTR run successful suburban and commuter railways; their knowledge from running London Overground and TfL Rail on behalf of Transport for London will add further depth and understanding to an important component of this franchise.’

‘The skills and experience of our joint team will enable us to put together a compelling and innovative bid’, said Jeremy Long, CEO of MTR Corp’s Europe Business. ‘South Western is a complex mix of shorter and longer distance services.’ Long said MTR’s experience of metro, open access inter-city and from December 2016 commuter services in Sweden would be combined with FirstGroup’s ‘strong track record of running commuter, inter-urban, regional and long distance services and delivering passenger growth.’

‘MTR’s international experience of running integrated railways also means we can bring particular insights and expertise around the areas of the franchise jointly operated with Network Rail – including the Waterloo Integrated Control Centre, the Waterloo station team, and the capacity and planning teams and joint performance teams.’

Around 14% of all UK rail journeys are made on the South Western network, with 1 700 trains/day serving more than 200 stations in London, Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire Surrey, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight. Stagecoach has operated the services since 1996 under the South West Trains brand, and is the other shortlisted bidder. The next franchise is scheduled to start when the current contract ends in June 2017.

I did look for another thread about the SW franchise re-let but couldn't find one. If there is one then mods please feel free to transfer this post there.
 
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R

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The last thing that SWT needs is "and a strong track record in delivering passenger growth"

There is no more room.
 

3141

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The last thing that SWT needs is "and a strong track record in delivering passenger growth"

There is no more room.

First made a similar point in a brochure they published in 2006 when they were bidding for the South Western franchise. At that time it may have been intended to imply that passengers were being attracted to their trains because they were so well run. You're absolutely right that further strong growth is not what passengers need now.

There's another similarity in that MTR were bidding jointly with Sea Containers in 2006, before Sea Containers pulled out. At a meeting with Christopher Garnett that I attended, he said the aim was for MTR to bring Hong Kong-like reliability to South Western services. Several SWT fleets are at or near the top of the list for train reliability now, but operational reliability is a different challenge.
 

WatcherZero

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Would think MTR are providing some cash, with West Coast bid on the line as well First are likely running a bit short.
 

matt_world2004

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If the south west franchise is up for renewal does that mean the metro routes are going to tfl at this time?
 

LeeLivery

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If the south west franchise is up for renewal does that mean the metro routes are going to tfl at this time?

No, unless the timeframe is changed (which Mayor of London wants), then the bidders have to plan for a TfL take over/joint operation to commence during the new franchise period. Southeastern is expected to be first, followed by SW.
 
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