Brown Review - Same old, same old. Official

Good news from today's RDG Second Industry Forum!

According to the man himself, the Richard Brown Review aims to deliver a "minimum fix" to ensure that the three, currently stalled, franchises can be got out the door as quickly as possible, with a vague promise of further reforms down the line...

So those hoping that the Brown Review might actually explore a range of options to ensure that the provision of passenger services deliver actual Value for Money, to both tax and fare payer, are doomed to disappointment.

No matter.

In happier news Richard confirmed today that he had already asked the views of half the people he wanted to consult as part of his Review.

Judging from the blank looks amongst the great and good assembled today at the appropriately named Pullman Hotel on the Euston Road this must be a very select group indeed!

No doubt as part of its commitment to transparency the DfT will be publishing these exalted names ere long?

Two MPs threaten to derail Metal Theft bill

This from the Local Government Association...

On the eve of Remembrance Sunday, local authorities are pressing for urgent action to be taken to tackle a crime which has seen memorials desecrated, caused transport chaos and costs the country hundreds of millions of pounds every year.

The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, is warning that a long overdue overhaul of scrap metal legislation will fail to materialise if the report stage of Richard Ottaway MP's Private Members Bill ends in deadlock on Friday.

Cllr Mehboob Khan, Chairman of the LGA's Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said:

"MPs owe it to their constituencies to do everything in their power to turn the tide on this mindless crime which is spiralling out of control.

"Scrap metal thefts have caused transport chaos, closed down churches and schools, and caused heartache for families who have seen memorials to loved ones plundered for scrap.

"To steal at all puts public safety at risk but to take cherished memorial plaques is a heartless and offensive crime

"The legislation for regulating the scrap metal industry has long ceased to be fit for purpose and we can't afford for Parliament to stall any longer on bringing it up to date.

"It will be a devastating blow to the millions of people who have been inconvenienced, injured or distressed by the metal theft epidemic if this opportunity to make a stand against metal thieves and rogue scrapyards is squandered."

According to the Daily Telegraph, Ottoway's bill is likely to be derailed by Christopher Chope, a former minister and Philip Davies MP for Shipley who have tabled more than 100 amendments.

In a tweet earlier today @PhilipDaviesMP said: I have met with people in the scrap metal business and am doing so again tomorrow. Feel free to email me with any points

Philip Davies email is: philip.davies.mp@parliament.uk and Christopher Chope MP can be contacted at chopec@parliament.uk

As ever, Eye readers are encouraged to vote both early and often, but politely putting the case for the Ottoway bill!

UPDATE: For those interested...

The Scrap Metal Dealers Bill: Committee Stage Report can be found here
 

Pointless signs - LUL Liverpool Street

Wisdom from Aslef...

This from Aslef...
 
Scots derailment: Union calls for action

Mick Whelan, ASLEF’s general secretary, today called for rail safety modules to be introduced into UK schools as it was confirmed that last Sunday’s train derailment in Inverkeilor was the result of vandalism. British Transport Police officers found an obstruction at the scene which they said today they believed to have been placed there deliberately.

‘An understanding of the dangers and potential tragedies on railway lines at a young age is vital,’ he says. ‘It needs to be embedded in our young people. We can’t simply say that whoever did this is a wicked person and leave it at that. It is not one person. It is not an isolated accident, and it would be wrong to treat it as such.’

Trespass on the track and hurling missiles at trains, causing the risk of murdering train drivers and passengers, is, he says ‘an endemic sickness in our society’. ‘Whoever did this must be tracked down and punished. But that is not enough. We need to educate to prevent as well. ’

This is one Aslef campaign that we can all get behind.

ATOC - Mobile ticketing goes live

Good news indeed from ATOC... 

Buy your rail ticket on the move with National Rail Enquiries

It is now even easier for passengers to buy train tickets on the move using their smartphone, thanks to National Rail Enquiries (NRE) updates and improvements to its mobile website and smartphone app.

Wherever they are and whenever they want, people using either the NRE mobile website or the NRE downloadable app can for the first time get the latest up-to-date train travel information and buy their rail tickets in one place.

So does this mean that passengers can now buy tickets whilst on the train without being treated like criminals? (No, of course not! Ed)

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

When I first saw this I got quite excited, thinking that the franchised TOCs had taken a leaf out of the Open Access Operators book and were now allowing passengers to buy tickets aboard trains, through their Smart Phones.

If you can't do this what is the point of announcing this 'improvement' to the app and claiming you can 'buy a ticket on the move'?

NRES - better late than never?

This from the Sleeper...

 

Nice of NRE to tell me that the 15:38  to Norwich is running 5 minutes late...two weeks after it happened.

Doh! NRES fail.

Movers, shakers and old friends

A busy weekend of people news.

According to Passenger Transport magazine, Elaine Holt, has left the National Express bid team after less than a year in post.

Meanwhile Eye understands that congratulations are due to Bob Holland who is taking on the role of Arriva's MD UK Rail and Bus.

With Bob's elevation Steve Murphy, MD of LOROL, will step up to become Arriva's Chief Operating Officer UK Rail. No news yet on who will take the helm at Loo Roll.

It is also good to hear that industry favourite Jonson Cox continues to go from strength to strength. The former Railtrack Chief Operating Officer is currently trying to turn around UK Coal which is in danger of falling into the hands of administrators. 

Good luck.

And in happier news Iain Coucher has resurfaced as MD of restructuring specialists Alvarez & Marshal. Iain will be looking to grow A&M's client base in transport and infrastructure.

Perhaps offering to restructure Great Minster House would be a good starting point?

Confirmed - IEP twice as expensive as Pendolino

Readers may have thought Eye's latest survey on IEP diagrammed vehicle costs was a little tongue in cheek.

Sadly not, according to the latest issue of Rail Business Intelligence (No 425, 1st November 2012).

Under the headline "IEP will cost twice as much as a Pendolino" it reports:

"Before the lengthening programme and delivery of the four new trains, Alstom was covering 48 Pendolino diagrams from 52 sets. On this basis the cost per diagrammed vehicle per month was £37,000.

"Based on the total cost in the written answer (Earl Attlee on 15th October) IEP will cost twice as much per diagrammed vehicle as the Class 390."

A table in the article gave the cost per diagrammed IEP vehicle per month as £74,500.

'You cannot be serious!' indeed.

How to negotiate with the Private Sector, No 94

Exciting news on Ministers' determination to get value for money from franchises!

Eye understands that the latest model, a five point plan known as the Pentangle, is both simple and effective and has even been signed off by the Devil .

New Ministerial Five Point Plan as follows:

1. Start off with at least two bidders, or one and a public sector comparator.

2. Stand down all bidders bar one, and immobilise the public sector comparator.

3. Confirm that only one private sector company is in the running. No, really!

4. React in a surprised fashion when the sole bidder bends your department over a table and rogers it senseless.

5. Thank the sole bidder manfully, then stick telephone directory down what is left of trousers before inevitable meeting with Treasury, PAC, NAO, TSC, etc...

Eye kids you not.

Siemens confirms further delay to Thameslink signing

This from Siemens...

THAMESLINK ROLLING STOCK PROJECT UPDATE

Steve Scrimshaw, Managing Director of Siemens Rail, today commented:

“The Thameslink negotiations are ongoing and although we are disappointed that they have taken longer than anticipated, we are making good progress and we remain confident that we will achieve closure of this important deal.”

“Our project team is in detailed negotiations with the Department for Transport and in daily contact with them and other key stakeholders.”

“Depending on progress over the next month or so, we hope to achieve commercial close by Christmas with financial closure in the new year".

"We have been forging ahead with the manufacturing planning of our Desiro City train for Thameslink, the second generation commuter train based on the very successful Desiro UK train. We are already well advanced with our plans for the start of vehicle testing at our dedicated test track later this year.”

"Having already invested well over 50 million Euros – at our own risk - in its development, I look forward to the Desiro City train taking pride of place on the UK rail network."

ENDS 

And in more good news for the beleaguered DfT, additional delays in ordering the Thameslink fleet will mean newly electrified routes in the North will have to be served by diesel trains.

McLoughlin & Rutnam in front of TSC today

This from the Transport Select Committee...

ORAL EVIDENCE – WEST COAST MAIN LINE FRANCHISE 

The Transport Select Committee will call the Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, and the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport, Philip Rutnam, to give oral evidence on the cancellation of the competition to run the West Coast Main Line franchise.  

Wednesday 31 October at 2.45 pm

Location:  Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Announcing the session Tranport Committee Chair Louise Ellman MP said:

“It is astonishing that the Government has had to cancel the West Coast Main Line franchise competition and delay other competitions. Just last month the Secretary of State told us that he was content with how the Department for Transport had handled the West Coast Main Line competition and that Virgin’s challenge to the outcome would be defended robustly. 

“I expect the Department’s review of what went wrong to be available by the end of this month and we will want to examine that very carefully. We will also want to know how much this episode has cost the taxpayer, what lessons will be learnt, and what will be the wider implications for franchising. In addition, I expect the Committee to look closely at the Government’s review of franchising when it is published at the end of this year."

ENDS

You can view the session live here.

DfT - the big question post Laidlaw

Now that the DfT is officially broken...

Who will be sent in to fix it?

Anyone have an answer?  

(Apart from FCP and DOR obviously. Ed)

Cautious RfG welcome for NR/DBS depot deal

This from the Rail Freight Group...

Consultation launched over reform of rail freight property

Commenting on the Network Rail / DB Schenker consultation on reform of rail freight property, Maggie Simpson, Executive Director, Rail Freight Group, said: 

“We welcome this consultation setting out the proposals for reform of DB Schenker's land and property interests. The proposed deal offers strategic benefits for the growth of rail freight by separating land ownership from rail haulage, and by encouraging Network Rail to take a proactive role in developing the freight business.”

“However, this is a complex deal, and RFG members and rail freight customers are likely to have legitimate concerns over any impact on their businesses. It is imperative that they respond to this consultation, and that Network Rail and DB Schenker address all concerns in full prior to the conclusion of this deal.” 

ENDS

Network Rail's consultation can be found here.

Philip Hammond - a gift that keeps on giving

This from yesterday's interim Laidlaw report...

And this from Eye favourite Petrol-head Hammond on 19 May 2011...

Amongst other proposed changes, we intend to replace the current “cap and collar” revenue sharing system that has driven perverse behaviour by train operators, with a GDP-based risk-sharing arrangement and a profit-share mechanism which will ensure the taxpayer benefits from any unexpected profits over the term of the franchise.

Because relaxation of full prescription of train services in line with Sir Roy’s recommendations was not signalled in the consultation document that we published on 19 January, I have decided that it is right and proper to consult on these proposals again, starting today, and ending on 17 August.  As a consequence of this decision, Mr Speaker, I can inform the House that the new franchise on the Intercity West Coast will now be awarded in August 2012, after a competitive process involving the four shortlisted train operators, and will commence operations on 9th December 2012.  In making this decision, I have deliberately avoided a change of franchise immediately ahead of or during the Olympic period and have also decided to take advantage of the short delay to complete the integration of the 106 new Pendolino carriages into the fleet prior to the commencement of the new franchise...

Longer franchises and a changed relationship with Network Rail will have a positive impact on the behaviour and appetite for investment and risk taking by train operators.  But I want to send a clear message that the new culture of cooperation in the rail industry, and the focus on cost reduction, is here to stay and it is mandatory, not optional.  So I can today announce that, as a matter of policy for all future franchise competitions, a significant part of the assessment of bidders’ capability at the pre-qualification stage will be evidence of success in collaborative working and driving down costs.

Success in driving down costs? 

With the ICWC debacle costing taxpayers at least £40m without a wheel turning in anger perhaps we can all afford ourselves a hollow little laugh.

Update: This from a Mrs A P Tis...

Perhaps all the DfT's current problems over the WCML can really be tracked back to individual political opportunisim?

Christian Wolmar writing on the 17th September 2010:

"Talking to a well informed source at the Rail awards last night, I learnt that the Department for Transport has become one of the first departments to agree a budget with the Treasury. The transport secretary, Philip Hammond, has not only accepted the Treasury figure, but he has done so quickly because he wanted to jump over the table to sit on the other side of the Star Chamber. So now he will sit alongside Osborne and Alexander pronouncing on the budgets of other departments.
        
"In a way that is hardly surprising. Hammond never wanted to be Transport Secretary. He is a Treasury man through and through, and now, with Osborne about to become the most unpopular man in Britain after Ashley Cole, he must reckon that, having been shafted over the Chief Secretary job because of the deal with the Libdems, he has a chance of the big job in a year or two. By the time the damage he is wreaking in transport starts to become apparent, Hammond will not be in Marsham Street".

Mystic Wolmar indeed!

Official Railway Eye Laidlaw Joke

Welcome to the Official Railway Eye Laidlaw Joke!

And here it is:

Q: How come everyone who knows how to run the railway is either cutting hair, driving a taxi or in a 'matrix'?

A: "Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself."

Indeed.

ICWC - Unleash the NAO

This from the National Audit Office...

Work in progress: Cancellation of the competition for the Intercity West Coast franchise

Study outline

The Secretary of State for Transport announced today (29 October 2012) the interim findings of the Laidlaw Inquiry into the reasons for the cancellation of the competition for the Intercity West Coast franchise. The Department has also given the National Audit Office access to many of the documents and other evidence supplied to the Laidlaw Inquiry. On the basis of that examination we can confirm that the information that we have seen supports the initial findings made by the Laidlaw Inquiry on what happened and the contributory factors. 

As the Laidlaw Inquiry has highlighted, there are limitations on the conclusions that we too can draw at this stage.  We are conducting further inquiries and once these are completed, we will report to Parliament to provide assurance including on the extent to which wider issues are raised  and are likely to affect the Department’s other projects and programmes, for example concerning:

• the Department’s approach to developing and quality assuring models and other technical tools which it uses;
• the operation of key committees including the information provided to them and how decisions are recorded;
• the rigour with which the Department follows required processes; and
• the skills and capacity available to run projects and programmes.

Reporting schedule

We aim to publish this report before Christmas 2012.

ENDS

DfT: Statement on Laidlaw Inquiry

This from the Department for Transport...

West Coast Main Line: Laidlaw Inquiry interim findings...    
 
The independent inquiry into the Department for Transport’s handling of the franchise competition to run the West Coast Main Line has submitted an initial findings report to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

In the interests of transparency, Mr McLoughlin has today published that report, alongside a covering letter, and this afternoon delivered an update to Parliament about this report and wider progress on ensuring continuity of service on the West Coast Main Line.

Sam Laidlaw, the senior business figure and DfT non-executive director leading this independent review, has asked the DfT to release the following statement on behalf of his inquiry:

    “In the limited time available this is necessarily only a preliminary report. What is clear however is that in seeking to run a complex and novel franchising competition process, an accumulation of significant errors, described in the report, resulted in a flawed process.

    “These errors appear to have been caused by factors including inadequate planning and preparation, a complex organisational structure and a weak governance and quality assurance framework. The full causes and the lessons to be learnt will be addressed in the final report of my independent Inquiry to be published at the end of November.

    “Firm judgments should not be made based upon what are provisional findings or wider conclusions drawn at this stage.”

ENDS

No mention of the "inconsistency in treatment of ICWC bidders" referred to by the SoS in the House.

UPDATE: Interim version of Laidlaw Inquiry report published here.

McLoughlin to issue ICWC statement this afternoon

So. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is appearing before the House of Commons today to give an update on the InterCity West Coast franchising fiasco.

Interesting that this is taking place two days before he is due to attend the Transport Select Committee with Philip Rutnam, the DfT's Permanent Secretary.

Also interesting that this announcement was not scheduled in Commons' business until 13:00 today (in the slot reserved for 'Ministerial Statements' - probably some time after 16:30).

And finally it is worth noting that this statement is taking place after Sam Laidlaw was due to present the interim results of his Inquiry into the West Coast fiasco last Friday.

With various comings and goings expected at Marsham Street in advance of this afternoon's statement it could all get very interesting.

Eye survey cancelled - Official Statement

Following disclosure of significant failings in Eye's latest survey on IEP costs the following statement has been issued:

IEP cost comparator survey cancelled

The Fact Compiler has today announced that the survey on IEP costs has been cancelled following the discovery of significant technical flaws in the way the process was conducted.

The decision means that Railway Eye readers will no longer be able to vote on comparative costs between IEP and Pendolino vehicle diagrammes in a poll due to expire on the 31st October. It is consequently no longer contesting the judicial review sought by Mr Kipling in the High Court (Is this right!?! Ed).

The flaws uncovered relate to the way the survey process was conducted on Railway Eye. An announcement will be made later today concerning the suspension of staff while an investigation takes place.

Railway Eye is resolving urgently the future arrangements for Eye surveys and will ensure that a normal service of bile and invective continue uninterrupted. The Fact Compiler stressed today that passengers and tax payers will continue to be ill served by the Incredibly Expensive Procurement.

The Fact Compiler has also:

• ordered two independent reviews to be undertaken urgently: the first into what went wrong with the Eye poll and the lessons to be learned (note this will be significantly delayed, if it appears at all), the second into the wider use of surveys on Railway Eye, both overseen by leading business figures...

Cont' for the next 94 months at least...

Things go from bad to worse at DfT?

This from a Mr L J Breeze...

These are increasingly desperate times at the Department for Transport, judging by this picture taken at the Duffield station of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway yesterday.

If the Secretary of State has taken to consulting the Soi Disant Veteran Observer then we are all doomed.

Perhaps he would have got more sense out of the dog?

UPDATE: This from Chionanthus Virginicus...

In view of the Soi Disant's alleged sideburns (they look like "Wiggo" stick-ons to me) are we to assume he was asking the SoS to ensure the new franchising agreements will include specific requirements for the provision of additional cycle space on trains?

This of course would be part of the "legacy" benefits from the 2012 Olympic success.

UPDATE: This from the Soi Disant Veteran Observer himself...

I have emailed you several times to request that you stop referring to me in these derisory terms.

As I have pointed our before this is neither big nor clever!

Rather than replying to my emails you prefer to publish them, but in truncated form, which you seem to consider funny. 

If you do not desist I will be forced to... (Sadly, owing to pressure of space, we are unable to publish the rest of this email from the Soi Disant Veteran Observer. Ed)