***Announcement on the Nexus Concession due out at 16:30 today***
UPDATE: Shortlist announced:
DB Regio Tyne and Wear Limited and Metro (In House Bid)
The two bidders will now be asked to revise and confirm their detailed tenders.
A single preferred bidder is expected to be named by Nexus in January 2010 ahead of the concession start date.
***The Evening Standard is to be given away free from October 12***
Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
Lord knows how long it took for the Agglomeration of Totally Obstreperous Cats (ATOC) to agree the text for its 'Passenger Rail the way forward' pamphlet.
So a tip of the bowler to Michael Roberts for his cat-herding skills - but it really is industrial strength tosh, not least in confusing subsidies and grants with investment.
And is it really a good idea to boast about operating from more places than 'Tesco or McDonalds' and then claiming that 'over 80% of you are satisfied with our services'?
If 20% of Tesco or McDonalds' customers were dissatisfied with their services managerial heads would roll.
And guess what?
The £5.4bn 'invested' annually by the public sector in the railways represents only 1% of total public spending and 'must remain a priority to maintain service levels'.
Well no shit Sherlock!
UPDATE: This just in from J Alfred Prufrock...
And this egregious lobbying document has the nerve to call for non-executive directors and members of Network Rail to play a 'stronger role' in challenging the organisation's senior management.
If the TOCs were industry members they could have been calling the Network Rail board to account with informed rigour for the last five years.
Reform is long overdue.
(Shome mishtake shurley! Aren't TOC's already NR Public Members? Ed)
UPDATE: This from Chionanthus virginicus
Come on FC
Shurley even your Ed knows that several TOC's ARE "Industry Members" of NR.
No bonus for him this year then?
UPDATE: This from J Alfred Prufrock
Apologies to the FC for not asking him to set my comment in Heavy Irony Bold type face.
Still, to the virginicus all things are pure.
UPDATE: This from NR's Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit...
There appears seems to be some confusion about the difference between 'public' and 'industry' members:
Network Rail has two general classes of membership:
Public Members are drawn from the public.
Industry Members are made up of certain rail industry companies (principally the passenger and freight train operating companies and some rail contractor companies), who are automatically eligible to be Members of Network Rail upon meeting certain criteria.
More info here.
UPDATE: This also from NR's Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit...
PS Here is the current list of Network Rail members
UPDATE: This from our International Correspondent...
Under the cover of “promoting rail” ATOC seems determined to prod the Treasury with a pointed stick....
To quote...
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