Connecting people - a thought

Exciting news - the Government has finally published the Rail Strategy!

Just shy of a year after it was originally announced.

No matter.

Meanwhile, Integrated Partnerships tailored to the franchise de jour have been announced.

Good news indeed.

Especially for operators of passenger trains on both the East Coast and across the East Midlands!

So Eye wonders who will claim ownership of this key junction between the two routes?

The devil remains in the detail.

Griffiths - two out of three ain't bad!

Much Sunday morning spluttering of cornflakes, courtesy of the Telegraph's business section.

In an interview Martin Griffiths, the soon to be Stagecoach supremo, offered the following terse observations on the railway:

HS2 - 'in the wrong place'.

Waterloo throat - 'knackered'

Railways - 'a middle class thing'.

Whilst items one and two will no doubt be causing palpitations in Whitehall, item three should at least endear Stagecoach to ministers.

After all it is only nineteen months since millionaire Philip Hammond, then Secretary of State for Transport, decreed that trains were 'a rich man's toy'!

Good to see that the Deep Alliance is at least delivering a marginally more inclusive railway...

Alliance goes Jesuit on railway safety

This from Network Rail...

Children in primary schools across the south and south west of England are to take the lead in educating classmates about staying safe on the railway.

The Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance is launching the railway safety reps programme across the route which runs from London Waterloo out to the south coast and south west England.

Primary schools will nominate children to learn about how to stay safe when using level crossings and the dangers of trespassing on the railway and will then share their new knowledge with their friends.

The programme will complement Network Rail’s ongoing safety campaigns and continued efforts to improve safety and reduce the number of incidents involving children and young people.

Eye missed this when it was released last Wednesday but, in light of ASLEF's comments the day before, well worth a mention.

V. Good. Tick.

Changes to NR Route reporting lines

Network Rail has made some changes to Route reporting lines.

Apparently...

• The East Midlands Route will come under LNE with Martin Frobisher reporting direct to Phil Verster.

• Sussex, Kent and Anglia Routes will come together under a new South East Route led by Dave Ward. Fiona Taylor and Mark Ruddy (and a soon to be recruited RMD for Anglia) will now report to the RMD SE.

Interesting.

With all this consolidation going on Eye wonders what it means for Deep Alliances?

Perhaps Stagecoach can stay ahead of the game by winning the ICGW franchise... once the competition is restarted of course!

Daily Mail does reverse ferret

This, unbelievably, from Daily Mail website This is Money...

So British Rail is now 'back to the future'!

There is more joy in heaven over one sinner...

NR & SWT Deep Alliance launched today

This from Stagecoach and Network Rail...

PASSENGERS  TO  BENEFIT  AS  SOUTH  WEST  TRAINS  AND NETWORK RAIL FORM NEW ALLIANCE · Single senior management team now responsible for trains and track · Focus on reduced delays, better customer service, more efficient working · “Deep alliance” is first for the UK rail industry

Train  company  South  West Trains and infrastructure operator Network Rail today  (30  April 2012) announced the launch of a new alliance with the aim of delivering better rail services in the south and south-west of England.

A  single  senior  joint  management  team  now has responsibility for both trains  and  track on the route operating out of London Waterloo in a first for the UK rail industry...

The  senior  management  team has more than 200 years’ experience in the UK rail   industry   covering  train  service  delivery,  rail  infrastructure management and train fleet manufacturing and includes:

• Managing Director – Tim Shoveller 
• Infrastructure Director – Jim Morgan
• Operations Director – Mark Steward
• Fleet Director - Christian Roth
• Safety & Assurance Director – Brian Cook
• Human Resources Director – Kelly Barlow
• Commercial Director – Sam McCarthy
• Customer Service Director – Jake Kelly
• Finance Director – Andy West

A governance board, with equal representation from both organisations, will oversee  the  operation  of the alliance and take major business decisions.

Arrangements  are  in place to ensure the interests of other passenger rail companies  and freight operators are protected. Both companies retain their own  identities and staff.  There are no changes to terms and conditions of employment or collective bargaining agreements with recognised trade unions

And about time too.

Welcome to a new world for the South Western Railway!