What should be the purpose of Passenger Rail Franchising?

  Passenger Rail Franchises should be designed to meet the needs of Communities, the railway serves, within the English regions. Which are non-inter city services, and are UK wide.

  The Department needs to and must commission a service that meets the need of the travelling public, taking into account the needs of travel to work areas, health services, education and higher education, leisure and good quality food shopping. To ensure the cohesion and social inclusion of Communities.

  The franchise must dovetail with regional spatial and economic strategies. And take into account the needs of areas which are designated as new city regions such as: Leeds, Greater Manchester, Greater Bristol, Greater Nottingham, Stoke on Trent, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Greater Plymouth (including parts of Cornwall) Portsmouth and Southampton.

  Since the loss of the Regional Rail Passenger Committee's there has been left a gap in the network for passenger representation. Although, good effective regional transport fora have been established in the South West, West Midlands and North West. Thought should, and must be given funding to ensure that good meaningful dialogue takes place between all parties, particularly on issues such as franchise etc DfT rail group needs to understand the needs of Communities; Examples of failure have been the loss of Stoke on Trent local services, to locations such as the County Town of Stafford, Wedgwood, Barlaston, Stone and loss of both service and station at Etruria. The recent decision to withdraw peak hour services from Longton & Longport leaving commuters without a train services, and no alternative provision. (See attached media report) This occurs when there is no local knowledge and dialogue-taking place, between transport authorities and passenger groups. After, the entire railway was built to convey passengers or freight, yet they appear to have the least say in any planning and provision of services.

  Cornish branch lines have lost their Sunday services, again with no alternative bus provision provided by DfT, as has happened at Etruria, Cornwall is a vast area for tourism and this again affects many families who may only have this one opportunity for a holiday, and for anyone to "cart" luggage and pushchairs etc around is very difficult. To ensure that DfT rail commission the appropriate local rail services to meet the social and economic need of the areas.

  In cases of Rail Service withdrawals, DfT unlike the Beeching era and with the exception of Stoke on Trent-Stafford and Bristol Severn Beach have failed to provide any rail replacement bus services leaving some communities without public transport services. It is recommended that a complete revue of the consultation procedures with DfT rail Government Offices within the English Regions take place.

  There is an urgent need to set up other Regional public transport user fora to replace the RPC,and to ensure that the whole of the UK is covered to ensure good dialogue between users and providers of services. This also applies to Scotland and Wales

Are Franchise contracts the right size and length?

  The awarding of franchise does not take into account the needs of the communities which the railways are supposed to serve and the Government economic policies within the English regions, spatial plans and regional economic strategies. It would be better if the franchises were co signed by Regional Development Agencies, Regional Assemblies, Passenger Transport Executives (PTE's) or Regional Transport boards (Transport boards need to be created in the English Regions) Which will understand the role of Public Transport provision in the City regions. They should also be able to specify bus and ferry services also those of light rail to ensure a seamless journey. (This is the situation in Western Europe, which is taken for granted)

  The franchise agreements are too short and do not allow for investment levels to go beyond the basic management contract of refurbishing and managing train services. Painting, basic maintenance and improvement to rail stations, The Government in England outside of London needs to decide if it should have a 20 year franchise period where the private sector is able to invest new rolling stock and general facility improvements, jointly with local and regional Government. If a pure management contract is the order of the day, which cleans the stock, operates the service and provides the catering contracts, in return for a capitation fee where the risk remains with the treasury to provide the capital funding and resourcing to the level of public service the community requires. When franchise agreements are made, it should be ensured that on board catering facilities are in built, to ensure the travelling public can obtain refreshments. Public sector organisations should be able to operate franchises.

Do We Need more competition and Vertical Integration?

  All services should be specified by Regional and National Government, taking account of Government policies on Transport, Global Warming, Social Inclusion, Regional planning, Regeneration of major Cities. With the Government paying 88 million per week and six billion per year in subsidies, to Network rail. The idea of non-specified, private entrepreneurial railway operation which does not make a contribution to infrastructure cost, or social need should not be allowed.

  The franchise should not be a way of generating income out of vital public services. The money clearly needs to be re invested into meeting the needs of the Communities to provide revenue support to local regional and suburban and metro services.

  We would support Vertical integration of integrated franchises based on the eight large regional companies in England, Scotland and Wales, with access rights and running powers across the whole rail network. The Government as Network rail should remain the owner with local networks going to such as Merseytravel etc and self contained transport authorities/boards. The following regional and national railway companies such as Scottish railways, Welsh railways ie First Great Western and Arriva trains could be vertically integrated through a joint company with Network rail providing separate welsh franchising authority, similarly South West trains with a similar company but separate specification with London.

  Community railways could be vertically integrated companies and in places like the rest of Europe be integrated with the local regional authority to provide local bus, rail, ferry and tram services.

  Security and catering must be specified in the franchise. The British Transport Police should remain as a separate authority and should not have its offices and resources built into the franchise arrangements. It should be the authority that specifies the travel safe officers, community support officers, rail enforcement officers and security officers these too should be integrated across bus, rail ferry and trains.

  Specification to franchise should also include links to ferries such as Isles of Man, Wight, Scilly's Scottish Highlands and Islands and the Channel Islands. Bus/Rail integration including tickets, service specification, interchanges and rolling stock.

  Stations should remain under the control of network rail and should not be constantly painted in corporate liveries eg regional colours and should reflect government ownership and branding and not the operating company colours eg In Wales should have Welsh Assembly gvt colours and a statement saying operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Have a look at how the PTE's maintained and take ownership of infrastructure.

21 June 2006