FGW Franchise

[jules]

OK all - we should be able to have some fun with this one over the long winter months!

The Department for Transport has commenced the process for letting the new Great Western franchise today.

ôThe DfT is seeking to appoint an appropriately experienced and qualified transport operator to operate the Great Western rail passenger franchise. Expressions of interest are now being sought from the market and shortlisted potential providers will receive the Invitation to Tender planned to be issued in May 2012. It is expected that the successful bidder will be announced in December 2012 with the contract commencing in April 2013. The length of the franchise term will be 15 years.ö

ôIn line with the GovernmentÆs aspiration for decentralisation, the franchise may be let so as to permit future changes in the way that discrete parts of the network are financed, monitored and managed by organisations other than the DfT.ö

Full documents so far may be perused here http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/grea ... chise-2013

Anyone fancy a full sized train set?

[the green mile]

Time for the legal chappies to start rubbing their hands together again.

As First Group owns a number of the HST's in the FGW fleet, it would be interesting to see what happens to them if they don't win the new franchise.

[jules]

Passengers asked for views on rail services ...

Hmmm. Where shall we start?

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Passenge ... story.html

[jules]

Well, the pre-qualification is commencing:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Firms-li ... story.html

Usual list of suspects, including:

First Group; Virgin; National Express; Arriva; Keolis (SNCF); Abellio (Holland); Go-Ahead; RENFE (Spain); MTR (Hong Kong) and Serco.

Maybe First will get a kick-out for withdrawing early from the last franchise? (not that that is officially part of the process - but a politician/civil servant scorned and all that).

Personally I'd like to see First win it again, as they have become a good operator over the last couple of years and the disruption and cost of changing to a new incumbent would be a complete and utter waste of time and money.

Unless it was a re-invented British Rail dedicated to serving only the public and with a never ending franchise, of course ...

[the green mile]

As I stated elsewhere, I think the winner will be the one who proposes to incorporate a good chunk of the McNulty report in their bid. The government didn't spend all that money for nothing, even if it came out as a dog's dinner.

Front line staff are thin enough on the ground as they are when you need to find one to ask a question. The Customer Information screens at Temple Meads are less than customer friendly and the customer information desk is frequently closed. Friday afternoon there were massive queues to buy tickets even though all the windows were open and I did notice a few staff with portable ticket machines selling tickets in the hall. You can hardly describe this as being overstaffed.

First have definitely turned things around since the low days of 2008 but seem to be badly let down by rolling stock which is well past its sell-by date. Surely there must be a will to replace the units used on local services during the course of the next franchise as well as the much rebuilt HST fleet. I just can't believe 150's will go on for another 15 years.

[jules]

Well, the short-listed bidders have been announced:

- First Group
- National Express
- Stagecoach
- Arriva

No surprises for the South West then ....

[the green mile]

With FGP being shortlisted for 3 franchise renewals, I raised an eyebrow when their share price collapsed on Thursday/Friday. However, nought to do with railways but more to do with people up north not using the buses.

[the green mile]

On a related subject, interesting to see the furore surrounding First Group being awarded the WCML franchise. I have today read the wording of the government e-petition and totally agree that Richard Branson has had a raw deal. His vision did wonders to turn round the Cross Country franchise. Sadly, he was a victim of his own success as his trains rapidly became overcrowded. I for one was shocked when this was taken off him and given to Arriva. He has my unreserved support.

[jules]

I have today read the wording of the government e-petition and totally agree that Richard Branson has had a raw deal.

Well, I think he's old enough and ugly enough to know by now that if you deal with this government in particular, you're gonna get a raw deal ...

[the green mile]

Interestingly, First Group's CEO Tim O'Toole spoke at length in defence on Sky News this evening. He confirmed that a lot of the extra seating capacity is based on additional carriages which are already in the pipeline. He also denied that extra capacity will be provided by installing smaller seats. I absolutely detest those airline style seats on FGW HST's. Filling empty seats by lowering fares and having enough left over to pay shareholders plus the government's premium must be a fine balancing act.

[jules]

I absolutely detest those airline style seats on FGW HST's.

So do I. I spend enough time on airplanes to loathe "airline seats". I just don't understand the marketing terminology FGW came up with for that one - I want to travel on a train to avoid anything that is like an airline seat - and not to be sold the very experience I am trying to avoid!

At least here in USA on Amtrak you get a seat with enough legroom that a family of giraffes would be perfectly comfortable!

[Robin Summerhill]

I absolutely detest those airline style seats on FGW HST's.

So do I. I spend enough time on airplanes to loathe "airline seats". I just don't understand the marketing terminology FGW came up with for that one - I want to travel on a train to avoid anything that is like an airline seat - and not to be sold the very experience I am trying to avoid!

At least here in USA on Amtrak you get a seat with enough legroom that a family of giraffes would be perfectly comfortable!

But this is the UK.

In common with the vast majority, if not all, companies, FGW are in business to make money, and they also have to work with what they've got. So what do they have?

1. Increasing demand for their services
2. Little or no opportunity to get hold of any new stock

So, they can either start turning people away from Temple Meads because their trains can't take any more passengers, or think up new and ingenious ways to get more people into their existing stock.

To be honest, I think the blame here does not necessarily lie with FGW, but more with the idiotic privatisation regime we have in the UK, where companies cannot just go out and buy new stock when they need it - everything has to be cleared with Whitehall first. Therefore:

3. They can make more money by cramming more people into their existing trains - indeed, that's the only way they can do it.

I'm not sure what's come over me tonight - first I can see the Evening Post's point of view, and them I can see FGWs. (Not that I like their seating arrangements either, by the way, but I can understand why they've done it)

I shall draw the line well before seeing UKIPs point of view, if anybody posts something about them

[jules]

(Not that I like their seating arrangements either, by the way, but I can understand why they've done it)

Can't disagree with anything you say there Robin, especially the Whitehall reference. If we were going to have a privatized railway, then the government really should stop dictating to it, stop taking franchise premiums from it (take only the corporation tax) - and let them get on with it. But then Railtrack screwed up that idea I suppose ..

I would do the same as FGW in the circumstances, much as I dislike it. Of course, the other way to regulate passenger numbers is to make the traffic pay what it will bear, but they've er, already done that one ...

As to UKIPs point of view, well if they really have a sentient one, that would be a step too far!

[jules]

What do we think about the West Coast fiasco? This article gives a good background:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/0 ... sfeed=true

Personally, for the Government, it's all about the money and this mess puts that fact directly in the spotlight. The whole process has almost nothing to do with serving the paying passenger.

Bring back Brisith Rail is what I say! See http://www.bringbackbritishrail.org/ even though it's about as likely as snow in August ...

[the green mile]

I had my car serviced yesterday contributing ú50 to the exchequer as VAT. I was philosophical about this because at least it was going towards reducing the government deficit however much it hurt. Then this morning I hear that the franchise fiasco will cost the taxpayer ú40 million. Angry doesn't even come close to how I feel. I sincerely hope that Branson comes out on top at the end of it all.

As to returning to British Rail, I think railways are too diversified these days to go back to a one-size-fits-all system. Someone from the Institute of Directors on the news tonight suggested that railways should be run on a concession basis rather than franchises. Sorry, my business nous is not sufficient to understand the difference. Can anyone explain?