RDG - feeling the Maynard love

This written answer from Rail Minister Paul Maynard…

Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Rail Delivery Group; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys): The Government is supportive of the Rail Delivery Group’s role of providing industry leadership in the railway to achieve better outcomes for rail users. We continue to work closely with them to ensure they are well placed to provide the strategic leadership needed to deliver key reforms in the railway.

There's lovely.

Partnership Railway - more gloom for the Roscos?

So, today the rail industry launched its ‘In Partnership for Britain’s Prosperity’ plan.

Backed by all passenger train operating companies and Network Rail, as well as rail freight companies and the supply chain acting in partnership as one railway for Britain the plan contains the following commitments:

1. Strengthen the railway’s contribution to the economy, keeping running costs in the black, freeing up taxpayers’ money
2. Increase customer satisfaction by improving the railway to remain the top-rated major railway in Europe
3. Boost local communities through localised decision making and investment
4. Create more jobs, increase diversity and provide our employees with rewarding careers

The RDG press release contains a host of supportive quotes from business and the industry, as well as this from NR CEO Mark Carne:

“Over the next 18 months passengers and communities across the country will see a transformation in the services that they receive. Thousands of new trains will be introduced as the culmination of years of heavy investment in improving our railway comes to fruition, stimulating the economy by delivering new job and housing opportunities."

'Thousands of new trains'?

Has anyone told the Roscos? Or did Mark mean 'vehicles'?

RSG and RDG merge

This from the Rail Delivery and Rail Supply Groups...

WORKING TOGETHER – NEW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RAIL SUPPLY GROUP AND RAIL DELIVERY GROUP

• New partnership will give supply chain a stronger voice
• Move will ensure both groups are better joined-up
• RSG chair Gordon Wakeford will join RDG board
• RDG chief executive Paul Plummer will join RSG council
• RSG council remains independent and becomes RDG’s fourth ‘strategic board’

The Rail Supply Group (RSG) and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) have announced a new partnership to coordinate shared objectives better and to strengthen further the industry’s voice.

The creation of a new partnership, using the resources of RDG to better support and join-up the work of the two groups, will:

• Maintain a clearer, independent voice for the rail supply chain within RDG;
• Offer closer alignment and collaboration between train operators, Network Rail and their supply chains;
• Streamline activities and avoid duplication, ensuring more efficient use of combined resources;
• Continue to jointly sponsor groups relating to technology and skills;
• Give government and stakeholders a ‘one-stop-shop’ for relations with the industry;
• Give clearer focus on unique RSG activities around exports, imports and inward investment;

The arrangement, while maintaining the RSG’s necessary independence, will see the RSG become a new strategic board of the RDG and its chair will become a full member of the RDG’s board. The partnership has also appointed Programme Director Anna Del Vecchio as an industry secondee from Amey, who will ensure that the supply chain’s independence is maintained.

Notwithstanding the super-abundance of bullet points in the release, this is good news.

Not least because the supply chain lobbied to be part of the Rail Delivery Group when the body was first set up in 2011, following the McNulty Review.

UPDATE: This from George Ramshaw Curry (via the digital ouija board)...

Meanwhile back in the world of work the sons of Martha at the Railway Industry Association continue with the hard slog of actually helping British industry to export more, innovate, become more efficient and try and understand their domestic monopoly customers etc etc. 

Not to mention actually trying do do something about Network Rail renewals falling off a financial cliff edge in the last year of CP5.

Manifesto responses - Germolene or Iodine?

This from Howard Wade...

Interesting to compare and contrast trade associations responses to the recent spate of manifestos.

Here is Rail Delivery Group  Chief Executive, Paul Plummer, who may be in danger of sleepwalking over a cliff...

"Working together, by the end of the next parliament, we will be running 6,400 extra services a week and 5,500 new carriages. On top of this, train companies are making a range of changes to improve the experience of passengers from simpler ticket buying to better information. This is all part of a £50bn-plus upgrade plan to improve journeys and to make local economies stronger and fairer, now and for the future.”

Plummer was, of course, speaking on behalf of RDG's 'train company members' (ie the TOCs and FOCs, pointedly excluding Network Rail which is gagged during Purdah).

Compare this with recently appointed Railway Industry Association Chief Exec, Darren Caplan. He pulls no punches, as many of his members are fighting for survival as Plummer's "£50 bn plus" is consumed by both Treasury and boiling frogs:

"We hope that [insert party of choice] recognise and share our concerns about the need for continuity of year-on-year funding for the rail supply sector, which faces the ongoing challenge of planned projects being postponed due to funding limits and which could ultimately lead to passenger and freight services suffering as a result. 

"The current 'Control Period 5' (CP5) will see significant reductions in spending in 2018/19, which could lead to asset degradation, reductions in sectoral employment, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises in the supply chain going bankrupt, and a negative impact on productivity. This in turn could lead to capability gaps and increased costs when the delayed work is commenced, perhaps several years into the next Control Period, CP6."

No doubt about who is speaking for the real railway industry.

UPDATE: This from a Mr Steve Strong...

Reading the words of Mr Plummer I can't help but feel that it lacks key references to 'strong and stable' and 'for the many, not the few'?

Perhaps RDG could amend their statement to read:

"This is all part of a £50bn-plus upgrade plan to improve journeys and to make local economies stable and strong; for the many, not the few.”

You are welcome!

Shaken and Stirred - RDG's Quigley and new arrival Thomas

Word reaches Eye of some changes at the Rail Delivery Group.

Christine Quigley, Head of Public Affairs, has been poached by Keolis as their new Director of Communications. Prior to joining RDG Christine was special advisor to then Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Mary Creagh. In her spare time Christine treads the boards as a stand-up comedian (Shurely a mandatory skill for anyone in railway comms? Ed). Christine starts her new role at Keolis in June.

John Thomas will join RDG as new Policy Director in July. John has railway form, from 2001 to 2011 he was an economist at ORR. Most recently he has been in the Middle East developing new railway networks across the region and has advised the World Bank.

Presumably the arrival of Thomas at RDG will be causing palpitations in One Kemble Street?

BRoR: First national TV ad campaign for 20 years

Coming to a Devil's Lantern near you...

Due to run for 'more than three weeks' on TV and at cinemas; and will be supported by posters on trains and at stations.

Good to hear both goods and passengers mentioned.

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

That's some confidence in the product.

Not a train to be seen!

UPDATE: This from Paul (Brigg Line) @Saturday_Only...

@TheFactCompiler Poster at Brigg Station, locals giggle at it as they have a 1 day a week services, running to an anti social timetable pic.twitter.com/gzQiWry4PR

— Paul (Brigg Line) (@Saturday_Only) 20 March 2017

UPDATE: This apparently from ‘Tulyar’…

Good to see the Rail Delivery Group embracing both the tradition and diversity of today's railway in their new logo.

Much as new nations emerging from former colonies, or ethnic/cultural reformations attach significance to the colours and symbols (cont’ p94)…

I wonder if there is (or readers might attribute) significance to the colours used and their positions on the logo. 

Eye suspects it had something to do with not using any existing TOC house colours (future franchise winners - fill your boots!).

Industry simplification - Supply and Deliver!

Eye exclusive: Inside the office of the RDG CEO!

An Aldersgate mole has supplied extraordinary footage of recent high level discussions between leaders of the RDG and RSG.

Here Paul Plummer offers the Supply Chain a seat at the table:

Truly, Master of all he surveys!

Super Inquiry into Air Quality announced

This from the Transport Select Committee:

"MP’s from four select committees have combined forces to launch an unprecedented joint inquiry on air quality to scrutinise cross-government plans to tackle urban pollution hotspots.

"The Environmental Audit Committee, Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Health, and Transport Committees will hold four evidence sessions to consider mounting scientific evidence on the health and environmental impacts of outdoor air pollution.

"The Government has lost two UK court cases about its plans to tackle the key pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The High Court has ordered the Government to publish a draft new clean air plan to tackle NO2 by 24 April, with a final plan by 31 July."

This joint inquiry creates both opportunities and potential threats for the rail industry.

Passenger operators into London termini may wish to consider their idling policy for diesel trains?

Whilst station owners may want to look at whether their stations offer adequate ventilation...

On a more positive note, with the London Mayor particularly keen to introduce low-emission zones, Eye wonders whether railfreight operators can work with TfL and DfT to utilise passenger stations at night (and dormant Royal Mail facilities) to offer logistics services to the Capital?

Either way, hopefully RFG and RDG will see fit to submit evidence?

TSC - Suggestions for future inquiries

This from the Transport Select Committee... 

Transport Committee invites ideas for future inquiries 

The Transport Committee today invites the public to suggest subjects for inquiries to take place later in the year.

Topics should relate to the work of the Department for Transport or one of its related bodies, such as the Highways Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency or Network Rail.

The Committee Chair, Louise Ellman MP, has said:

“If you have an issue which you think we should look at we would like to hear from you. Please write to us, email, or submit your suggestion using our website or Twitter.

“Your suggestions will be important in shaping our future work programme. Once we have decided on which inquiries to hold we will publish all of the suggestions we received and what we decided in relation to each of them”.

“That said, I must also emphasise that the Committee does not take up individual cases and will not look at local transport issues or specific transport projects unless they raise issues of national significance.”

The Committee last invited the public to suggest inquiry ideas in March 2013. The suggestions received and the Committee’s decisions about its programme were published in June 2013. 

Future programme: 2013-14 

Further information 

Submissions should be 250 words or less and sent by e-mail to transcom@parliament.uk or via Twitter using @CommonsTrans 

Nothing to see here, move along.

The Empire strikes back, sort of!

This from Ithuriel...

In an article in the Sunday Express, Stagecoach CEO, Martin Griffiths, launched his Chairmanship of the RDG (What that? Ed) with a fighting article headed: 'Railways are still on track'.

No, it wasn't a  riposte to busway conversions, but a paen to the newly nationalised railway (Shurely 'triumph of Privatisation'? Ed)

Martin showed his Finance Director background with this statistical claim:

"Train companies last year switched from being net recipients of Government support to net contributors. Overall industry subsidy per journey is lower than or the same as in six of the 12 years leading up to privatisation."

Good news indeed!

But what's this?

Note that Mr Griffiths is comparing 'now' (after 20 years of privatisation) with 12 years then, conveniently ignoring the post Railtrack years when subsidy was indeed four to five times BR at its best (Where is this going? Ed).  

Griffith's comparison is also based on passenger journeys not passenger kilometers. 

Since Clapham Junction to Waterloo and Kings Cross to Aberdeen are both 'journeys', the average cost measure is meaningless (Got you! Ed). 

So what about comparing cost per passenger kilometre?

In 1982, before the revival of BR's fortunes under Sir Bob Reid, the subsidy per passenger kilometre at today's prices was 8.1p. 

In 2006-07, when subsidy peaked at £6.3 billion - three times BR's 1982 subsidy, this equated to 15.8 p per passenger km!

Nice try.  But sadly, no cigar!

Update: This from The Horn of Plenty...

Shurely it was Sir Robert Reid who revived BR's fortunes, paving the way for Shell's Sir Bob later?

On a more serious point, do we honestly think that we were at a sustainable level of spend in 1982, the era before Clapham, Hidden, Hatfield, DDA, Interoperability, Climate Change Levy, Pension Protection Levy, TPWS, GSMR, etc...?

Hopefully we are now where Sir Robert may have wished us to be, with the Government treating:

"... the network according to its importance to the nation rather than its financial value..."

Where "...safety must be 'top of the agenda': the only answer [is] high standards, efficient systems and constant vigilance."

Does anyone on today's railway really believe that our old nationalised industry could have delivered this?

RDG disconnected from the industry it 'leads'?

This was just asking for trouble.

Earlier this week Transport Minister Baroness Kramer observed that dumping raw effluent on the tracks was "utterly disgusting".

Quite so.

So what are we to make of this from the BBC...

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents the train companies and Network Rail, said the issue did not come up in a bi-annual national passenger survey and it was not often raised as an issue by staff.

Hmmm...

This from the RMT:

RMT has also completely refuted suggestions from within the industry that the issue has either never, or rarely, been raised as the union has been campaigning on the scandal for at least decade and passengers have now launched their own petition to get it stamped out.

Track workers have repeatedly pointed out that some sections of the rail infrastructure are like an open sewer and that the human waste doesn’t simply hit the track bed, it sprays out when trains are travelling at speed posing a serious and disgusting health risk to track-based staff. Rail works have been delayed because staff have been confronted with pools of raw sewage.

Either the RDG has a very short memory or none at all. 

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

And not just track workers are at risk.

Changing brake pads is a really sh*tt* job when the bogies have been covered by an  aerosol of excrement.

And do passengers opening slam doors on Mk 3 stock realise that the external handles have received the same treatment.?

Didn't Angel propose a major IC125 upgrade which included retrofitting retention tank toilets almost a decade ago?

A shame DfT decided it wasn't worthwhile because the trains wouldn't be in service much longer.
 

New improved RDG fails to fall at first hurdle!

Much disappointment amongst the curmudgeons of the rail industry!

Eye understands from a number of RDG Associate Members that they actually received an email from the new Director General, containing a letter from RDG Chairman Tim O'Toole, explaining today's changes!

Okay, it might have arrived after the press release... but any direct communication is a big step in the right direction!

Labour responds to changes at RDG

This from Lilian Greenwood MP, Labour’s Shadow Rail Minister...

“This announcement underlines the case for further reform. The Rail Delivery Group is not fully representative of the wider rail industry and it is lacking in transparency, despite its increasing influence over Government policy.

“Ministers must now ensure essential decisions that affect passengers are subject to proper levels of scrutiny, not hidden away behind a cloak of commercial confidentiality.”

Looks like the new RDG communications and policy teams will be busy...

RDG beefed up by ATOC 'merger' but supply chain out in the cold.

This from the Rail Delivery Group...

RAIL INDUSTRY CREATES UNIFIED VOICE

Network Rail, train operating companies and freight operating companies have agreed the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) will assume responsibility for policy formulation and communications on behalf of the rail industry.

To advance this objective, the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) will combine its communications and policy functions with complementary resources from Network Rail and support from other RDG members, to operate in future for the RDG as a whole.  Michael Roberts, ATOC’s chief executive, becomes the director general of the RDG, succeeding Graham Smith who has stepped down from the role.

The creation of an expanded executive team will strengthen the RDG’s capabilities to develop policies which benefit rail users and taxpayers, and enable it to provide the railway with a unified voice. 

The combination of resources from ATOC and Network Rail also signals the RDG’s intent to work increasingly in partnership and with common purpose, mirroring developments elsewhere in the industry.

Commenting on the changes, Tim O’Toole, RDG chairman and chief executive of FirstGroup plc, said: “Britain's railways have been transformed over the past 20 years, delivering record levels of growth and performance.  Greater coordination among the train operators, freight companies and Network Rail is the next logical step for the industry to evolve to the next stage of capability. The combination of ATOC resources with Network Rail will provide clear, unified leadership for the industry and ensure it is best placed to build on its unmatched record of success."

Sir David Higgins, RDG deputy chairman and Network Rail chief executive, said: “A better railway brings significant economic and social benefits to passengers, taxpayers and the public. The industry's commitment to work more closely is delivering real improvements to safety, service quality and efficiency. A more effective, better resourced, RDG will help us achieve more for those we serve."

Michael Roberts, RDG director general, said: “The new arrangements are an exciting opportunity to work even more closely with colleagues across the industry.  The team and I very much look forward to supporting group members in their passion to drive forward solutions that benefit passengers, freight users and taxpayers.”

Notes to editors:
1.    The RDG was established in May 2011 to lead the industry in delivering a higher performing, more cost effective and sustainable rail network for Britain's rail users and taxpayers.  Formation of the RDG was a specific recommendation in Sir Roy McNulty’s rail value for money study, published in May 2011.

2.    The RDG brings together the chief executives of passenger operator owning groups, freight operator owning groups and Network Rail. The RDG develops policies, strategies and plans for the coherent management of the rail industry and advances the provision of a safe, efficient, high quality rail service for users and taxpayers.

3.    ATOC’s corporate affairs and policy teams will no longer work solely on behalf of train operating companies but, combined with staff seconded from Network Rail and support from other RDG members, will operate in future on behalf of the RDG as a whole.  The two teams will consist of 18 people in total and will be based at 200 Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4HD (ATOC’s existing offices).

4.    The current ATOC business services teams will continue under Michael Roberts to run National Rail Enquiries, Rail Settlement Plan, Rail Staff Travel and the Commercial, Operations and Engineering schemes. The governance arrangements and bodies for the individual schemes will remain unchanged: they will be complemented by ATOC Board which will continue but change its main focus from policy to ensuring a co-ordinated approach to business service provision.  Tom Smith will step down as independent chairman of the ATOC Board by the end of the year.

ENDS

And about the Supply Chain? Not a word!

Alas Smith now Roams!

So farewell Graham Smith, the man who acted as midwife to the mighty Rail Delivery Group!

Graham steps down as Director General of RDG today, after two and a half years in the job and prior to that spending a year supporting the Rail Value for Money study.

Not one to go quietly into the night Graham's renewed focus will be on the Railway Benefit Fund, where he will set up a central fund-raising group concentrating on encouraging corporate donations and contributions from the major players in the industry.

Owner Groups and suppliers can expect knocks on the door where Graham will deliver a pointed message encouraging those who profit from the industry to put something back for those employees that have fallen on hard times.

And quite right too!

With bags of experience Eye suspects that a number of people will also be knocking at the door of Albany Smith Management.

However, Graham assures Eye that he will not be taking commissions, although: "if somebody wants me to help them on other things and it's something that interests me I'll consider it".

Quite so, you can't keep a good consultant down...

ATOC and RDG ushers in new era of transparency

Good news for fans of greater RDG and ATOC integration.

Word reaches Eye that tomorrow's RDG meeting is likely to see closer co-operation between the two bodies placed firmly on the agenda.

An ATOC spokesman observed today: 'Discussions are on-going'.

Quite so.

In fact so 'on-going' are discussions, that in certain recent conversations you might almost have mistaken ATOC speaking for RDG!

Perhaps helpful to recall that transparency is, as transparency does.

UPDATE: This from Sidney Supplychain...

No doubt there are plans in hand to communicate these exciting developments to, and engage more fully with, RDG's Associate Members?

Didn't think so.

UPDATE: This from Leftoutin Thecold...

This is the full list of RDG Associate Members, as at 16th September.

• Ashfield Consulting Ltd
• Babcock
• Birmingham Centre for Railway Research
• Bombardier Transportation
• Bond Dickinson LLP
• Brisk Projects
• British Transport Police Authority
• Carillion
• Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum
• Gutteridge, Haskins and Davey Ltd (GHD)
• Jacobs UK Ltd
• MTR
• Optimum Consulting Limited
• Rail Freight Group
• Rail Media Group
• Railnews Limited
• Rail Vehicle Engineering Ltd (RVEL)
• Railway Industry Association (RIA)
• Siemens Railway Systems
• thetrainline.com
• Young Railway Professionals

No doubt they will be fully briefed on the exciting future for the RDG very soon...

RDG embraces 'Transparency'

Good news for fans of openness and transparency!

This from the Rail Delivery Group's summary of proceedings from its July meeting...

Industry Structure and Strategy – transparency
The RDG agreed that the industry should take control of the transparency agenda rather than leaving it to the ORR. Various industry parties were pursuing different initiatives. The Group agreed that nominated RDG Members agree a cross-industry approach.

And quite right too.

But what's this?

The rest of the summary document contains no reference to discussions about simplifying the number of organisations at the 'top' of the railway industry!

Perhaps they just didn't take place, or became so 'transparent' that they were rendered invisible?

Less is more...

The Fact Compiler's latest column in Passenger Transport published on the 19th July... 

The next edition of Passenger Transport will be published on the 2nd August.

RDG parks tanks on Rosco lawns

This from Passenger Transport...

The Rail Delivery Group, the Department for Transport and franchise owning groups have begun initial discussions which could lead to train operating companies purchasing new trains directly rather than leasing them from the ROSCOs (rolling stock leasing companies).

Good news indeed.

Anything that emasculates those with a long term interest in the industry, whilst benefiting "thinly capitalised equity profiteers of the worst kind" has to be a good idea (Is this right? Ed).

Apparently First Group is already chomping at the bit to buy new rolling stock for its Great Western franchise.

According to Tim O'Toole, CEO of First Group:

“We need more trains, and we’ve made this plain to the government, and they have got to allow this to happen”.

Quite so Tim and with First Group finances in such robust health it seems such a shame that Dai Woodham is no longer in business.

UPDATE: This from Leo Pink...

Has DfT  Permanent Secretary Philip Rutnam taken a leaf from the General Galtieri Book of  Political Strategems?  

With his department's expensive in-house  procurement of IEP and Thameslink rolling stock under fire, how better to deflect criticism than attacking those nasty people in trade - the  'expensive' ROSCOs.

UPDATE: This from Ithuriel...
 
At a recent meeting of the Rail Delivery Group one topic rasied was:
Rolling stock – issues emerging on value for money.

Can it be that they have woken up to the ludicrous cost of the Great Western and East Coast Ninky Nonk train ?
 
Probably not. We suspect that the real concern is the blood-sucking rentals being charged by the Roscos for err.. Pacers.
 

I counted them all out...

This from the Thin Controller 

Perhaps Eye readers can advise just how many of the industry's great and good (including one if not two ministers) made it to the Rail Delivery Group away-day at Westwood... before Freightliner's Felixstowe - Ditton sat down with a failed brake pipe, completely shafting the southern end of the WCML?


Just asking.