Shortlist for East Anglia franchise announced

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

From the Department for Transport:

The train companies shortlisted to transform rail services in East Anglia have been announced today (2 June 2015) by the government.

Three companies are in the running for the next East Anglia rail franchise, having successfully passed the pre-qualification stage. They will work with the government to develop their proposals before receiving the invitation to tender in August.

Bidders will be asked to show how they will improve the region^s railways, including providing reduced journey times to London, more reliable services, and better connections. They will also be expected to show how they could achieve the recommendations of the Great Eastern Main Line Taskforce, which includes reducing London to Norwich journey times to 90 minutes.

The 3 shortlisted bidders are:

• Abellio East Anglia Limited (a joint venture between Abellio and Stagecoach)
• First East Anglia Limited
• National Express East Anglia Trains Limited

Rail minister Claire Perry said:

We have ambitious plans for East Anglia^s rail network, and the successful bidder will be central to making these plans a reality. We want to find a partner who will help us meet the increasing demand for transport in the region by providing faster, more reliable journeys and better connections across the region and beyond.

We are investing record amounts in building a world-class railway as part of our long-term economic plan, and I am determined that passengers in East Anglia will benefit.

The new operator is due to take over the franchise in October 2016. The East Anglia franchise, which is currently operated by Abellio Greater Anglia, carries 354,000 passengers a day on 5 routes across the region.

A public consultation on the future of rail services in East Anglia closed in March and the responses will be taken into account as the franchise proposals are developed further.

[ChrisB]

Interesting to note Abellio getting Stagecoach in to buck up their bid....

[Rhydgaled]

the next East Anglia rail franchise

Not 'Greater Anglia' anymore? Have they split the former 'First Great Eastern', 'WAGN' and 'Anglia' services up again? I'm aware that some services are transfering to Crossrail and London Overground, but that doesn't account for ALL 'West Anglia' services does it? (although, are they now refering to 'Great Western' rather than 'Greater Western' yet it still includes the former 'Wessex Trains' and 'First Great Western Link' services).

[eightf48544]

Rhydgaled I sympathise with you I've long since given up trying to make sense out of the whole franchising business and the constant name changing and areas served.

It's interesting how some names stick Thameslink became First Capital Connect but it never caught on and now Thameslink is back.

So maybe if we refuse to call TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) by their new names we can achieve some minor success.

i am sure most passengers don't have a clue what their TOC is called. Especialy in cases where their station/journey is served by multiple TOCs or their train sports an old livery.

A train is a train.

[ChrisB]

It's interesting how some names stick Thameslink became First Capital Connect but it never caught on and now Thameslink is back.

Might that simply be bercause First (it's in the name) lost the franchise? :-)

[lordgoata]

i am sure most passengers don't have a clue what their TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is called. Especialy in cases where their station/journey is served by multiple TOCs or their train sports an old livery.

A train is a train.

Until I joined Coffeeshop, I didn't even know there were different companies - I thought they were all owned by one and the different colours/names just indicated the areas they covered - kinda like the different colours on the underground 

[JayMac]

The franchise name change is most likely because the area of operation has changed. On 31st May 2015 inner suburban services (Enfield Town, Cheshunt via Seven Sisters, Chingford, Romford to Upminster)  transferred to London Overground, and the service to Shenfield transferred to Crossrail.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

i am sure most passengers don't have a clue what their TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is called. Especialy in cases where their station/journey is served by multiple TOCs or their train sports an old livery.

A train is a train.

Until I joined Coffeeshop, I didn't even know there were different companies - I thought they were all owned by one and the different colours/names just indicated the areas they covered - kinda like the different colours on the underground 

Where have you been these last twenty years...?

[lordgoata]

Where have you been these last twenty years...?

Transport wise, cycling for most of it! I only started using trains regularly in 2008 when my company, and then myself, relocated.

But that was kinda my point, agreeing with eightf - as a passenger I don't care. Just want a ticket, a seat, a train the runs regularly between the destinations I need.

I suspect as eightf said, if you asked the majority of passengers they have no idea how things work. I know if I ask my mum who runs the trains she will say British Rail. Same as British Gas supply gas, BT supply the phone and BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) supply the TV signal 

[eightf48544]

It's interesting how some names stick Thameslink became First Capital Connect but it never caught on and now Thameslink is back.

Might that simply be bercause First (it's in the name) lost the franchise? :-)

I hope not I would like to think "they" recognised that the line is known as Thameslink and Londoners will not use any other. Certainly not Capital Connect whether First of not.

Thameslink is succinct and describes what the line does: links North and South of the Thames.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

Where have you been these last twenty years...?

Transport wise, cycling for most of it! I only started using trains regularly in 2008 when my company, and then myself, relocated.

But that was kinda my point, agreeing with eightf - as a passenger I don't care. Just want a ticket, a seat, a train the runs regularly between the destinations I need.

I suspect as eightf said, if you asked the majority of passengers they have no idea how things work. I know if I ask my mum who runs the trains she will say British Rail. Same as British Gas supply gas, BT supply the phone and BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) supply the TV signal 

In spite of the smilies, I am disappointed but not surprised. But the implication is that all of the political debate about the pros and cons of the supply of services by either private industry or state organisations has since, ooh, 1979, passed you by. Not only regarding rail transport but also how gas is supplied, or electricity (what should be the mixture of public, private, gas, coal, nuclear, winds or waves) or telecom or airline services. Should some health care be outsourced and why? How should the water supply industry be organised and funded?

For the democratic process to function in the citizens' interests, it is essential that the citizens be well informed about the decisions their representatives have to make. I am by no means suggesting that everybody becomes an expert in all these areas - that is clearly impossible - but a general knowledge to about the level that The Economist or The Financial Times present ought to be expected. (I choose these two papers carefully since, because of their global reach, they are less party political than many other papers).

I totally agree that any particular rail journey should be transparent in the sense it shouldn't matter which organisations supply the components - tickets, trains, station and rails. The customer should have only one point of contact. But in order to try to improve the offering it is necessary to know and understand the structure of the industry so that criticisms and suggestions are optimally targeted.

Oh, and remind me! When did ITV start broadcasting...?

[lordgoata]

In spite of the smilies, I am disappointed but not surprised. But the implication is that all of the political debate about the pros and cons of the supply of services by either private industry or state organisations has since, ooh, 1979, passed you by.

I said my MUM would think that, because she is stuck in her ways, no other reason. I was 5 in 1979, so I was more interested in the likes of Bod and Mr Benn!

[ellendune]

Oh, and remind me! When did ITV start broadcasting...?

1955

[4064ReadingAbbey]

I said my MUM would think that, because she is stuck in her ways, no other reason. I was 5 in 1979, so I was more interested in the likes of Bod and Mr Benn!

Fair enough!

[Rhydgaled]

I hope not I would like to think "they" recognised that the line is known as Thameslink and Londoners will not use any other. Certainly not Capital Connect whether First of not.

I think we may be talking about two different things here. In the insane world of franchising, I think there are actually three things at play:

1. The official name of the franchise, used by DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) when publishing the Invitation To Tender etc.
2. The registered name of the Train Operating Company which wins the franchise
3. The trading name(s) of the above

In the case of Great Western, at least before the direct awards, I believe (1.) was 'Greater Western', (2.) 'First Greater Western Ltd.' and (3.) First Great Western. The official name for the new Thameslink franchise I think is 'Thameslink Southern and Great Northern', operated by 'Govia Thameslink Railway' which seem to trade under a wide range of brand names.

Heading back towards the topic, the 'Greater Anglia' franchise was formerly held by National Express, who Wikipedia claims once traded as 'ONE' and latterly as 'National Express East Anglia' (NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia)).