The government is to start a new competition for the East Coast rail franchise, which is currently being run by the state.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin today (March 26) revealed a new timetable for all the UK’s rail franchises over the next eight years as part of the government’s revamp of the system following the debacle over the West Coast Mainline last year.
McLoughlin also fired the starting gun for a fresh competition for the East Coast mainline service from Kings Cross in London to Scotland which has been run by the government for the last four years after National Express pulled out of the franchise in 2009.
He said the plan was that the new East Coast franchise operator would take control of the service by February 2015.
The changes in the franchising system are designed to “provide long-term certainty to the market” and support the DfT’s rail investment programme.
McLoughlin said: “This programme is a major step in delivering tangible improvements to services, providing long-term certainty to the market and supporting our huge programme of rail investment.
“Above all, in future franchise competitions we are placing passengers in the driving seat by ensuring that their views and satisfaction levels are taken into account when deciding which companies run our railway services.
“Franchising has been a force for good in the story of Britain’s railways, transforming an industry that was in decline into one that today carries record numbers of passengers.”
The DfT announced the changes following the review, headed by Richard Brown, into the failure of the West Coast Mainline bidding process last year, which initially saw the franchise awarded to First Group instead of incumbent Virgin Trains – only for the whole competition to be scrapped following a legal challenge by Virgin and the discovery of serious flaws in the process.
Brown, who is chairman of the new Franchise Advisory Panel, said: “It is clear to me that this announcement represents an opportunity for government to seek competitive and innovative proposals from the existing train operating companies and potential new market entrants to demonstrate how they will continue to improve services for passengers.
“The clarity around the franchise programme will also allow fresh energy to be brought to the urgent task of developing closer partnerships with Network Rail to drive out costs from the industry and provide a better deal for passengers and taxpayers.”
For full details of the government’s plans, click here