ORR narrative overlooks the positive...

This from Orrville...

Good news from the Office of Rail Regulation!

The department within ORR tasked with man marking Passenger Focus, and justifying its own existence, has issued the following press release...

Rail passengers' complaints data shows focus on train punctuality

New statistics published today on the regulator's data portal show that passengers' complaints continue to focus on train punctuality.

Updated rail complaints data highlights that, between 1 October 2012 and 31 December 2012, rail passengers' complaints concentrated on train punctuality (42%), followed by complaints about the quality of facilities on-board the train (14%), and fares (14%).

Data also shows that the overall number of complaints has been steadily decreasing over the past decade – dropping from a high of 128 complaints per 100,000 journeys recorded at the end of 2002-03, to latest levels which stand at 33 complaints per 100,000 journeys in the last 12 months.

Quite so.

But equally this would also have been a factually correct headline:

‘Rail Passengers’ data shows 74% reduction in Passenger Complaints in a decade’

Heaven forfend that ORR should suggest that things are actually improving!

Reports of DOR's demise exaggerated?

This from Our Man at 222 Marylebone Road...

DfT has once again warned the thinly capitalised equity profiteers not to mess with Clare 'The Franchise' Moriarty or DOR will again step in to run the railway.

But surely DOR hasn't the resources to run 10 franchises over the next couple of years? 

Don't be too sure. That sounds well within the modest ambitions of DOR chief Michael Holden.

And to judge by the guest list at the First Class Partnerships thrash at the Carriage Sidings at Kings Cross the other evening, DfT's Consultancy of First Resort would have no problems rustling up any number of deeply experienced TOC management teams. 

You have been warned!

New Franchising Policy - McLoughlin speaks!

Some comforting words on the future of the industry from the SoS in no less a place than Conservative Home!

"The passage of time has proved Dr Beeching was wrong about British railways. Far from being on the way out, the industry has never been stronger, with passenger numbers at record levels."
 
Very good, tick!

But what's this?

Further down the encomium are the following weasel words justifying flogging off East Coast:

"But the service was last upgraded in the 1980s and needs revitalising now. And with new trains, which will be built in the North East, on order it is right that we invite bidders to put forward proposals for investing in and improving services."

Oh dear.

Let us cast our minds back to the heady days of May 2011 and Project Eureka.

These wise words from a certain Karen Boswell:

A new timetable is being developed by the rail industry which will improve services on the East Coast Main Line. It represents the biggest change on the East Coast Main Line for 20 years.

The new timetable will deliver 25 extra East Coast services, more than 9,000 extra seats each weekday, etc...

Are McLoughlin's words perhaps the greatest investment in puffery since the Victorian era?

UPDATE: This from Alecto...

Clearly Mr McLoughlin is either being misled or is badly advised, quite possibly both.

The 'new trains' are mainly replacements for Intercity 125 and even that part of the IEP deal is yet to reach financial close.

The future of the mid-life IC225 fleet, delivered at the end of the 1980s, is still being considered with a range of options available. One of the options is IEP, but the cost of this solution is considerable compared to some of the alternatives.
 
Or is the Minister pre-empting that decision, even though his department is claiming that the choice of future rolling stock for the franchise will be down to the incoming franchisee as part of their proposals for "investing in and improving services"

It seems difficult to escape the conclusion that Whitehall still thinks it knows best.

New Franchising Policy - Just fancy that!

This joyous news via the Daily Telegraph...

Four of Britain’s major train operators have dropped a lawsuit against the Government to recover up to £40m of costs lost when the bidding competition for the Great Western rail franchise was scrapped earlier this year. 

Good news indeed!

Eye understands that a clearly emotional spokesman for Natarrivirstoach Group sobbed his thanks to tax and farepayers for their deep pockets (shurely... deep understanding? Ed).

Clutching what looked like a treble he continued "I luuurve thish indushtry, itsh great. But we couldn't, hic, have done it without our matesh in Marsham Schtreet."

"Don't worry boysh and girlsh theresh lotsh of non-execsh to go around" he concluded, as he relaxed horizontally at the back of his chauffeur driven motor.

The Treasury is said to be delighted.

Simon Godfrey RIP

Eye was deeply saddened to learn of the sudden death of Simon Godfrey, Customer Communications Manager at Northern Rail last Tuesday (19 March).

Simon was well known to friends and colleagues having worked in the industry for many years, firstly with Northern Spirit, then Arriva Trains Northern before joining Northern with the start of their franchise in 2004.

A true gentleman, with a kind heart, Simon had a genuine passion for understanding what customers want and need, turning railway jargon into something meaningful.  He was extremely creative and a sharpened wordsmith.  

Simon was also committed to engaging with young people.  In partnership with a local charity Simon developed ‘Transport Yourself’ a module for disadvantaged young people to learn about rail and rail travel, taking them out on trains, behind the scenes at stations and meeting the people that work in the industry. In Simon’s own words ‘…a hugely rewarding experience and a fantastic way to raise children’s aspirations and their awareness of the many and varied jobs available to them…after all, they are the workers of the future.’

A member of the railway family, a membership of which he was very proud, Simon will be missed by many. He leaves a wife Jane and four children.

Colleagues at Northern have set up books of remembrance at their offices: Northern House, York; Aintree House, Leeds and Square One, Manchester.  Friends and colleagues of Simon past and present are welcome to pop in and share their happy memories and thoughts.  

For anyone who can’t get along but would like to pass a message onto Simon’s family, please email carolyn.watson@northernrail.org

Simon's funeral will take place at 14:30 on Thursday 4th April at St Olaves Church, Marygate, York. All are welcome.

A message to our friend South of the River...

Dot - dot - dot - dash!

"Blessent mon coeur d'une langueur monotone" 

Keep your pecker up mon brave!

Br Churchill 

New Franchising Policy - Advisory Panel

This from Claude Bottom... 

Is the Fact Compiler losing his touch?

Amongst yesterday's flurry of observations about the New Franchising Policy, not a word on the Rail Franchise Advisory Panel chaired by no less a figure than Richard Brown.

The same Richard Brown who is also chairman of Eurostar, which by happy coincidence is 60% state owned!

Good to see that the new Advisory Panel can offer first hand experience of integrated and nationalised railways, even if they are those of France and Belgium.

Beeching, a half century

A lot of stuff and nonsense across the nation's media about Beeching today.

Just remember InterCity, Freightliner and Merry-go-round.

Most of the rest can be laid at the door of the dreadful Ernest Marples and Barbara Castle.

However, for the dewy eyed amongst you...



Good tune!

New Franchising Policy - RAIL Exultant!

Amongst senior industry figures the take on today's New Franchising Policy has been somewhat upbeat.

Phrases like: 'competent', 'pleased', 'deliverable' and 'making the very best of a bad job' abound.

Meanwhile there is near euphoria in Peterborough, the home of RAIL, as tomorrow (Wednesday) is press day.

After much lobbying it appears that  DfT has finally gotten the message!

Today's announce allows RAIL scribes to analyse the New Franchising Policy so that subscribers can ruminate over both it and their cornflakes on Saturday morning.

And as any ful kno RAIL has '523,198 copy sales a year with an estimated 2,615,990 readers'.

New Franchising Policy - Rail.co has clear view

This from Eobhann...

According to Rail.co...

Surely this is a trypo and not a comment on our august Transport Secretary...

Perhaps we should be told?

New Franchsing Policy - DOR rejoices!

This from Directly Operated Railways...

Today’s announcement
In this morning’s announcement, the Transport Secretary said he has decided that the East Coast franchise will now be returned to the private sector in February 2015, some five years and three months after DOR took over the business in November 2009. The decision means that the competition process for East Coast will re-commence almost immediately.

DOR has actively worked to prepare the business for a return to the private sector when the Government decided that the time was right. Due to the delay to the original programme caused by the cancellation of the West Coast competition last autumn, DOR agreed with the Government that it should prepare a fresh medium term business plan to cover a five year period starting in April 2014. This work is almost complete and will be used to guide the further development of the business over the remaining two year period of operation before the new franchise is scheduled to start, and to inform the work of bidders at the appropriate time.

East Coast today
Since 2009, the East Coast business has been transformed. The Company has returned more than £640 million in cash to the taxpayer, achieved record beaking customer satisfaction, and last year delivered the best operational performance on the route since records began in 1999.

Clearly DOR can't wait to get rid of East Coast...

New Franchising Policy - Bad news for Boris

A fairly torrid week for Boris has been topped off today by the small print of the New Franchising Policy.

The long extension to SouthEastern won't just annoy long suffering Kentish commuters, it will also infuriate Transport for London!

As the franchise isn't due to be re-let until 2018 it looks like BoJo's ambitions to take on the 'inners', or metro services, before the next Mayorial election are doomed.

Of course Centro will be similarly disappointed that London Midland will be extended to 2017.

But Eye can't help but feel in Boris's case this is personal. Nice work Dave.

Greater Anglia - We're all in it together!

This gem from the Ipswich Star...

The Prime Minister ditched his train at Manningtree yesterday amid fears engineering work would push his schedule off track.

Mr Cameron jumped off the train into waiting cars in the Essex town as he rushed to deliver a keynote speech in Suffolk’s county town fearing overhead line work at Needham Market would create congestion at Ipswich station.

Eye wonders if he used Mr Toad's motor, which is no doubt on stand-by at his Chelmsford constituency?

DfT slips funny into New Franchising announce

Someone at the DfT clearly has a very keen sense of humour!

This from the press announce on the New Franchising Policy:

"The delivery of new state-of-the-art British-built trains from 2017 as part of the Government’s £4.9bn Intercity Express Programme."

Stop it, you're killing me! 

New Franchising Policy - Doomed

So. A big Eye welcome to the exciting New Franchising Policy unveiled today.

In many ways it is very much like the old franchising policy, except that it just takes longer and this one is sans Directly Operated Railways... for the moment.

The industry has of course been underwhelmed by the paucity of ambition shown, with many of the worst performing TOCs receiving extensions to cover the Department's blushes (shurely: ...overwhelmed by the breadth of ambition shown, with top performing TOCs being rewarded with well deserved extensions designed to benefit the passenger? Ed).

Trebles all round at London Midland, CrossCountry and SouthEastern to name but a few.

With only InterCity East Coast likely to be let by the election (in your dreams. Ed) the revised programme will afford Labour ample opportunity to reactivate DOR and take over swathes of the passenger railway when it wins the inevitable landslide in 2015.

No matter.

Meanwhile, of more pressing concern to the cash strapped Treasury will be what this exciting programme does to the Statement of Funds Available.

If you think it's cold now, wait until CP5!

McLoughlin unveils new staff cuts shocker!

This from the Man by the Photocopier...

DAfT may be about to improve upon the McNulty report, which recommended that trains should be driver only by default, saving the costs of conductors.

In his statement about the much-improved, washes whiter-than-white franchise programme today, transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has revealed that matters could go further, when he said:

“The future competitions will also place passengers in the driving seat”.

It might be cheaper to let passengers do everything, Minister, but is that perhaps a little too courageous?

DfT 'can't pay, won't pay'. Nonsense!

The Fact Compiler's latest column in Passenger Transport published on the 15th March...

The next edition of Passenger Transport will be published on the 29th of March.

Pointless signs - Surbiton

Scotland yesterday

This via @NetworkRailScot...

A snowplough clearing the Girvan-Stranraer line yesterday.

More Open Access!

Now pay attention DfT!

This from the Centre for Policy Studies...



That is all.