Reforming Rail Franchising - DfT consultation

[wibble]

For those of you that are interested, the DfT is launching a consultation on the future of rail franchises. The consultation document is available on the DfT website:

www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-28/

 

[Foxhound]

Thanks Wibbs, will have a look now.

 

[gordonthemoron]

rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic?

 

[LE Greys]

rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic?

Quite possibly

 

[Metroland]

"Some inter city services are profitable (even taking into account the underlying subsidy paid to Network Rail to run the railways), and operators might well be able to operate a proportion of existing services at their own risk and expense and deliver a good service to their passengers. In comparison, many regional and local services are not viable on a wholly commercial basis and might not be operated without Government support."

"Without the railway, London could not function; great cities like Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham would see a dramatic increase in road congestion, damaging their local and regional economies; and many parts of the road network would become clogged by lorries going to and from factories, ports and economic centres. In short, a successful and efficient railway is essential to our economy, our quality of life and our environment."

 

[gordonthemoron]

agreed, plus foreign companies are less likely to come to the uk if the transport infrastructure is crap

 

[Metroland]

Plus tourists, plus people will have trouble getting to work, even by the virtue of sitting in traffic.

One of the big problems for the unemployed is transport, if the government want us all back at work, go right ahead, axe all the buses and trains, I think you'll find a lot of people will argue they can't get to work. 25% of households don't own a car, and even a lot of the ones that do, the people in it, don't have access to cars all the time.

 

[shinkansen1966]

The test comes when the next round of franchises come up for renewal. East Coast is one. Though I'd prefer this to stay in state hands. What others come up for renewal between now and the end of (say) 2012.

When these comes up for renewal, this is when will have a better idea of government rail transport 'policy'. Reckon they will be for 15 years. But the subsidy or premia profile will be interesting. Because it will commitment by both parties (DfT) and the winning TOC on the likely revenues over the coming 15 years. To some extent, the 20 year Chiltern Railways will be a good guide.

In return for a 15 year franchise, expect the DfT to distance itself from any rolling stock commitments. Leaving those decisions to the TOC.

And there's plenty go wrong over a 15 year franchise. The devil will be in the detail....

 

[scandal]

I do wonder why we still don't allow a vertically integrated self-contained franchise to be operated to compare costs with the current model if we are so interested in delivering value for money. Considering Transport for Scotlands control over the rail franchising process, indeed timetbales, livieries and the like I do wonder if when the franchise comes up for review the Scottish Government decide to keep it self contained and nationalise it to see if costs can be kept down, of course no doubt if even that was a sucess Whitehall would cry foul explaining that market conditions are different south of the border and so require a different solution.

 

[shinkansen1966]

I do wonder why we still don't allow a vertically integrated self-contained franchise to be operated to compare costs with the current model if we are so interested in delivering value for money.

There may be an interesting comparison. There is a state owned vertically intergrated railway in the United Kingdom. And it's run pretty much as British Railways was until it was privatised.

Have a look at the railways in Northern Ireland.

 

[Ivo]

Plus tourists, plus people will have trouble getting to work, even by the virtue of sitting in traffic.

One of the big problems for the unemployed is transport, if the government want us all back at work, go right ahead, axe all the buses and trains, I think you'll find a lot of people will argue they can't get to work. 25% of households don't own a car, and even a lot of the ones that do, the people in it, don't have access to cars all the time.

And that's before you even consider the people who would lose their jobs because they actually work in transport :roll:

 

[Geezertronic]

I'd personally be very interested in how the West Coast franchise gets allocated and who to since that is up in 2012

 

[WatcherZero]

I do wonder why we still don't allow a vertically integrated self-contained franchise to be operated to compare costs with the current model if we are so interested in delivering value for money. Considering Transport for Scotlands control over the rail franchising process, indeed timetbales, livieries and the like I do wonder if when the franchise comes up for review the Scottish Government decide to keep it self contained and nationalise it to see if costs can be kept down, of course no doubt if even that was a sucess Whitehall would cry foul explaining that market conditions are different south of the border and so require a different solution.

Their currently considering making Merseyrail a pilot study of track and franchise under one company.

 

[RochdalePioneers]

How about let all the franchises expire, remove all the costs associated and pass on the cost savings in the form of cheaper fares?

Or, if you insist on private contractors, copy the London buses model. Have nationally run marketing, ticketing, HR, administration (we could call it "British Railways") so that we aren't paying for a multiplicity of back office staff. Franchises have to adopt a standard livery with their logos added (cf Scotrail) and have to deliver an agreed level of service.

Hey presto, a privatised railway made up of franchises which is actually a service. What a stupid idea! What people really want is 14 different fares between Doncaster and London, and to pay hundreds of pounds for a journey of 2 hours.