Theresa May seeks answers for commuters over First Great Western contract

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Maidenhead Advertiser:

Theresa May seeks answers for commuters over First Great Western contract



First Great Western (FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) is set to carry on providing train services from Maidenhead and Twyford until at least March 2019.

The Department for Transport has announced it intends to negotiate a ^direct award^ for the franchise. This means FGW^s contract would be extended rather than being subject to a fresh bidding process. It also means FGW will continue to run commuter services on the Great Western Line while Crossrail and electrification works are taking place.

Maidenhead MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Theresa May has written to the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, to ask what benefits commuters can expect. She said: ^The next few years will see important infrastructure projects that will benefit Maidenhead and Twyford commuters, including electrification of the line and the introduction of Crossrail. It makes sense for FGW to continue to provide services during this time, to ensure continuity and stability. However, since there will not be a full bidding process, local residents will want to know what assurances the Department for Transport has received from FGW regarding the service they will be providing. We need to continue to see progress to cut overcrowding and ensure more reliable and efficient services and I would expect to see clear commitments from FGW in these areas.^

FGW has stated this will 'ensure stability during a period when a substantial programme of infrastructure upgrades will take place on the network and new trains are introduced'.

[ChrisB]

Additional seats on Crossrail from 2018....

[IndustryInsider]

Additional seats on Crossrail from 2018....

She won't be given that assurance.  No Crossrail services are expected to serve Twyford and Maidenhead until December 2019.

[a-driver]

Another MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) spouting rubbish.  If she wants to see overcrowding reduced then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) need to be supplied with more trains by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) it's as simple as that.
It annoys us to hear MP implying it's the train operators who need to take action to resolve overcrowding.  It's an easy option to take, pointing the finger at the private operator to deflect criticism away from the government.

[paul7575]

The Department for Transport has announced it intends to negotiate a ^direct award^ for the franchise. This means FGW^▸ (First Great Western)^s contract would be extended rather than being subject to a fresh bidding process.

Actually, Theresa, it won't be extended.  That's because the direct award is a completely new contract, negotiated separately, like the other direct awards. 

Paul

[NickB]

Maybe I should just send her a link to the 'Thames Valley delays' thread in Across the West ?   

[Tim]

Another MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) spouting rubbish.  If she wants to see overcrowding reduced then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) need to be supplied with more trains by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) it's as simple as that.
It annoys us to hear MP implying it's the train operators who need to take action to resolve overcrowding.  It's an easy option to take, pointing the finger at the private operator to deflect criticism away from the government.

Agreed.  This is the same woman who was spouting off about FGW being stripped of their franchise a few years ago when their service was poor largely due to decisions made by DfT.  http://www.tmay.co.uk/news/35/may-calls-on-fgw-to-lose-franchise

[a-driver]

Another MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) spouting rubbish.  If she wants to see overcrowding reduced then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) need to be supplied with more trains by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) it's as simple as that.
It annoys us to hear MP implying it's the train operators who need to take action to resolve overcrowding.  It's an easy option to take, pointing the finger at the private operator to deflect criticism away from the government.

Agreed.  This is the same woman who was spouting off about FGW being stripped of their franchise a few years ago when their service was poor largely due to decisions made by DfT.  http://www.tmay.co.uk/news/35/may-calls-on-fgw-to-lose-franchise

This is why, in the eyes of the government, rail franchising is a complete success.
The travelling public points the finger of blame at the Train Operating Companies across whilst they sit back and take no flak whatsoever despite virtually having full control of the railways including Network Rail budgets, yet they make meaningless statements like this http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2014/09/11-government-urges-operators-to-target.html to try and appear to be on the commuters side but despite the headline of "Government urges operators to target overcrowding" if you read the article the DfT actually state "Train operators must act now, they must find new ways to create space on the network and in their trains" 

So basically no mention of new trains instead, train operators must increase the capacity on the existing ones which is impossible.  The DfT are a joke.  Fare rises are designed to push passengers off the railway network.  That is the only solution the DfT has to reduce overcrowding.   

It makes absolutely no odds to who runs the franchise.  If the everything was unbranded you wouldn't even notice if a franchise changed hands.  Ultimately, any new operator who takes over from FGW up until the introduction of the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) will have exactly the same trains to use.  To make any significant improvements most operators across the country need more trains, and enough trains that they have spare capacity.  This is key to reliability.  The FGW fleet is stretched to the absolute limit and there are other operators in the same boat.