GWRF2020-intro. Great Western Rail Franchise Consultation - Forum Overview

[whole diary]

[trainbuff]

Just had a quick look through it and am heartened to see an Okehampton Service mentioned so prominently. Many of us, as groups or individuals in this area, made submissions including an Okehampton service. Good to see the commitment in black and white rather than hearsay. Lets hope things continue in this vein

[didcotdean]

Somewhat amusing that the number who think Reading would benefit from the reduction of stops at intermediate stations on long distance services is only slightly less than those that think it is the intermediate stops at Reading that should be removed. The responses to the latter question were all small, but some were a bit unexpected like the dozen or so who wanted to miss out Exeter, Oxford or Taunton.

Also there are only a small number responses relating to the 'Oxford locals' ie Banbury-Didcot. I do wonder though if it was realised these were a separate category as until the beginning of the year these would mainly have been part of the through Oxford-Paddington stopping services.

[grahame]

Many thanks to a fellow board member of TravelWatch SouthWest for highlighting the changes in the objectives.

In the light of the consultation we now propose the following revised objectives for the franchise in the 2020s:

• Provide safe, punctual and reliable services with enough seats and space for people who want to use them and at the times when people want to travel;
• Focus on the needs of the travelling public to provide an excellent and continually improving customer experience for all passengers, whatever their particular needs and abilities, and improving ease of interchange between rail services and other modes;
• Maximise the benefits for passengers from the current transformational investment in the Great Western railway network, including by ensuring that enhanced services are delivered to a high standard of punctuality and reliability performance;
• Maximise the contribution of the railway to driving local and regional economic growth, enabling planned growth in housing, and meeting the wider needs of citizens and society across the whole of the franchise area;
• Be a responsible employer who invests in the welfare and the development of its workforce, motivating staff and equipping them with the right skills to provide the best possible customer service;
• Strengthen the connection between the railway and the communities it serves, supported by strong relationships with all those who have an interest in the franchise and the services it provides;
• Continue to improve the environmental performance of the railway including the environmental impact of older diesel rolling stock, support wider environmental objectives by providing an attractive alternative to more polluting modes, and improve measures such as energy and water consumption and recycling;
• Develop close collaborative working with Network Rail and other partners, bringing the operation of track and train closer together to deliver the best possible service for passengers, providing more coherent, integrated advice to local funders and promoters of schemes to improve the railway and drawing in funding from the widest possible range of sources
• Work with the Government and other agencies to support the development and delivery of other major rail investment schemes, such as the proposed western rail link to Heathrow, East-West Rail and the interface with HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) at Old Oak Common; and
• Operate efficiently, providing best value for taxpayers’ and passengers’ money, thereby ensuring the maximum possible resources are available for further service improvements.

Good - we recognise some of those word for word - and other certainly follow the spirit of TWSW^» (TravelWatch SouthWest - website) and other inputs.

[Lee]

Here's what I have found initially interesting.

Although there have been a number of ideas for new stations on both the Wilton Parkway and Devizes Parkway sites over the years, it's only really 5 or so years ago that the current live proposals for both were just a mere twinkle in the TransWilts eye.

And yet here we are, with both Wilton Parkway and Devizes Parkway in the Top Ten of a DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)-published list of "schemes with a prospect of being funded".

A positive lesson perhaps, for anyone out there just about to launch a new station scheme in the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) area from scratch.

[ChrisB]

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) has responded to the consultation.....

81 page pdf.....

[paul7575]

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) has responded to the consultation.....

81 page pdf.....

...and posted yesterday, hence the current discussion?

Paul

[ChrisB]

Not easy to find in "Forum Overview - hence starting a new thread (which has been transferred to here.

Personally, this is so important that it ought to have it's own thread, suitably titled.

[grahame]

Not easy to find in "Forum Overview - hence starting a new thread (which has been transferred to here.

Personally, this is so important that it ought to have it's own thread, suitably titled.

Merged (after moderator discussion!) at the moment. 

There were already discussions going on under that "Forum Overview" topic, and having the two running was going to confuse.   There may be logic in splitting the old/merged topic at the point that the "results" were announced - such a thing best done in the quietness of the night rather than at peak posting times!

[ChrisB]

I'm certainly not complaining that my post was merged here at all...just explained to Paul who hadn't noticed that my post was merged, rather than posted here.

I do support now splitting this thread from when the Government response was added to this thread for the reason given previously.

[paul7575]

Not easy to find in "Forum Overview - hence starting a new thread (which has been transferred to here.

Oh sorry, I missed the second thread.

Paul

[grahame]

Official announcement of the publication from the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) ... just received

Dear Stakeholder,
 
We wish to alert you that yesterday we published the Stakeholder Briefing Document for the Great Western rail franchise.  Many thanks to everyone who took the time to response to the consultation, which took place between November 2017 and February 2018.  The Stakeholder Briefing Document sets out the issues which were raised though the public consultation, which was carried out between November 2017 and February 2018, and our response to these.  Key amongst these is our decision not to split the Great Western franchise, as stated  by the Secretary of State on 24th July.  The Stakeholder Briefing Document can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/736146/great-western-rail-franchise-stakeholder-briefing-document.pdf
 
We will be happy to discuss any issues further as we continue to develop the specification for the franchise, so please do contact  us if you have any questions, or wish to discuss any of the issues raised.
 
Yours sincerely,

[CMRail]

https://ibb.co/it6709


(I am having issues using images, this is all that worked)

[stuving]

The current GW^▸ (Great Western) franchise (more of a direct award) has been extended by a year to the end of March 2020. DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) say they are discussing a further extension to 2022 with First, but until that is agreed the first step in letting the new franchise is scheduled for next month (the EOI in September).

This document does not mention that franchising process anywhere except to repeat, from the consultation document, that it was "inviting views on priorities for the franchise throughout the 2020s". Instead, it has many places where it asks FirstGroup to "set out the steps they will take", "demonstrate how it will achieve", "develop[ing] its proposals", and suchlike.

I can't see any suggestion that the result of this work by First will form the basis of a new franchise specification, presumably to run from 2022. So what have DfT done with the rest of the 2020s?

[ChrisB]

I doubt they can give GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) advance notice of any requirements going specifically straight into the ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) for the new franchise can they? Surely the ITT can only be released to all successful applicants at the same time?

[stuving]

I doubt they can give GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) advance notice of any requirements going specifically straight into the ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) for the new franchise can they? Surely the ITT can only be released to all successful applicants at the same time?

Well, they can ask GWR to do something in the next extension, something that is also the preferred option for the following franchise - that document is full of examples. They could studiously avoid mentioning the franchise, but I don't suppose it would fool anyone - not each other nor the outside world. I mean, "can you look at implementing this next year just in case we put it in the franchise" - does that mean any change has to be planned as reversible at minimum cost?