Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 17 April 2002.

On a visit to Devon today, Richard Bowker, Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), announced funding for additional services on the County’s ‘Tarka Line’.

The announcement comes on the second day of a visit to the West Country, in which he is meeting railway staff, business, and civic leaders to discuss rail services in this strategically important region.

Two additional weekday trains in each direction from Exeter Central to Barnstaple will run from the Summer 2002 timetable, bringing the service level to eleven trains each way daily. The funding has been made available through the SRA’s Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) scheme for an eighteen-month period.

The SRA is providing £144,000 towards overall cost of £367,000. Further funding is being provided by Wessex Trains, the Countryside Agency, Devon County Council and the Tarka Line Working Party.

Commenting on the funding, Richard Bowker said:

“Today’s announcement confirms our willingness to invest in North Devon’s railway. It will be a boost for local businesses and tourism, and is a positive response to the views of passengers and Devon County Council. I know that Wessex Trains will be working hard with the community to attract more passengers to make these extra trains a permanent feature of the timetable.”

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 10 May 2002.

SRA Chairman Richard Bowker said:

“Our thoughts and sympathy, shared by the whole of the rail industry, are with all those involved in this accident and their families. We pay tribute to the work of the emergency services, done so professionally.

“It is important that the cause be identified, and that responses are made after calm reflection. The Health and Safety Executive will be undertaking an investigation and will present their preliminary findings to the Secretary of State for Transport as soon as practically possible”.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 14 May 2002.

Britain’s railway industry has been invited to join forces with the SRA to co-fund small scale investments aimed at providing shorter-term and lasting improvements to the performance of passenger and freight services.

Bidding guidance is being distributed to relevant industry operators and stakeholders for accelerated projects that can be completed within a year, and also for longer term development projects. The SRA’s Rail Performance Fund (RPF) is a partnership funding scheme. It has a total budget of £400 million over ten years and is open to applications from across the rail network. For the present time, a passenger franchise operator must act as the lead project sponsor. Each bid will be assessed on a case by case basis.

Examples of investments that would qualify for RPF funding include rolling stock modifications to improve reliability of trains, such as upgraded componentry; track and signalling infrastructure, for example the provision of additional and upgraded infrastructure to improve reliability; systems and process improvements including enhanced IT processes and data logging services.

Launching the SRA’s new bidding guidance today, SRA Chairman, Richard Bowker said:

“The Rail Performance Fund will help to fulfil one of the SRA’s primary objectives of working with the rail industry to achieve substantial and lasting improvements in performance. This fund enables us to co-invest with rail companies in quick win schemes to deliver a better and more reliable service for passengers and freight. We have already had over 85 expressions of interest from the rail industry and expect them to convert into formal RPF bids now that the official guidance is out.

“The fund will work alongside our existing, and already successful, Rail Passenger Partnership and Freight Facilities Grant schemes to make a noticeable difference to the service that the industry provides to its customers.”

Notes to Editors

1. Copies of the Rail Performance Fund Bidding Guidance can be viewed on the SRA website (address below).

2. Schemes where preliminary interest in RPF co-funding has already been expressed include modifications to enhance rolling stock and IT systems plus additional and upgraded infrastructure.

3. The RPF was first outlined in the SRA’s Strategic Plan (January 2002). The scheme provides funding for performance improvement projects that cannot be commercially funded by the private sector and third parties alone. The fund can also be used to accelerate the implementation of existing performance improvement projects.

4. Applications for funding can be submitted by rail stakeholders, either as individuals or in consortia with others. Each RPF application will require a passenger franchise Train Operating Company as the lead sponsor. The application will be assessed on its deliverability and capacity to improve performance to the rail network and societal gains. At a later date, the fund may be extended to cover bids directly from Railtrack, ROSCO’s, non-franchised operators (like Heathrow Express) and local authorities and PTE’s.

5. The Rail Performance Fund Bidding Guidance outlines the stages of the bidding process. The process is divided into two types of projects – accelerated projects that can be implemented within one year and development projects for which project development is less well advanced. RPF bid submissions will be appraised by the SRA. Successful bids will be recommended to the RPF Project Board for approval and a letter of offer will be issued. On award of the RPF payment, the SRA will monitor the delivery of the project against the contract to ensure that the objectives are met. The RPF Board will draw on experts across the SRA, as well as independent consultants.

6. The SRA budget for RPF in the first financial year (2002/03) is £40 million. RPF funding first became available from 1 April 2002. The fund has been structured to permit maximum funding flexibility and there is no pre-determined benchmark. However, the SRA expects bidders to make a significant contribution to the capital funding.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 26 June 2002.

Following a two-year trial, ridership on Anglia Railways’ innovative Crosslink service remains too low to justify continued public subsidy, and the SRA announced today that the service would be withdrawn.

The service (six trains a day each way), between Chelmsford and Basingstoke, was launched in May 2000 on a trial basis and required funding from the SRA’s Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) scheme. After detailed analysis of the costs and benefits of the service the SRA concluded that continued support for Crosslink services did not represent value for taxpayers’ money, with most trains carrying few passengers.

Lack of capacity on parts of the route, and disruption as a result of widespread speed restrictions in late 2000, prevented further development of the service, and the decision recognises that there is little opportunity to provide additional capacity in the short term on this very busy section of the network.

There are no changes to the frequent mainline services between Ipswich and London Liverpool Street and between London Waterloo and Basingstoke.

The SRA is exploring with Anglia Railways alternative uses for the rolling stock, including possible provision of additional services within the region to be introduced for the Summer 2003 timetable.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 19 January 2001.

The prospect of a new, purpose built railway, capable of running trains at 200-225mph (320-360kph) is being considered by the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (sSRA), which today announced that it will be inviting consultants to work on a detailed feasibility study into a High Speed Line (HSL) concept. The announcement coincides with a call from sSRA Chairman Sir Alastair Morton to the industry to shake off recent setbacks and go on the offensive to win back passengers.

Such a line would provide very necessary capacity and would be the fastest railway in Europe, making possible dramatically quicker, more convenient, more comfortable and more reliable journeys between Britain’s major cities. Depending on route, travelling north from London, journeys to Manchester or Leeds could reduce to less than 1 hour 30 minutes, Newcastle to around 2 hours and Scotland to less than 3 hours.

sSRA Chief Executive Mike Grant said,

“Much work needs to be done to establish the precise nature, route and feasibility of such a project, but the technology is there and the demand is growing. The sSRA’s vision is to improve inter city rail travel dramatically in this country, boosting regional economies and providing a more comfortable alternative to relieve our overcrowded airspace.

“Preliminary work already undertaken by the sSRA has developed a better understanding of the potential costs and benefits of a dedicated High Speed Line running from London to the North. We are now inviting potential consultants to bid to develop the case for a new line, with the aim of determining the best concept by the end of March 2002, including destinations and corridor options. This stage of the study will need to assess the environmental issues relating to an HSL together with the implications for the existing rail network and franchises, which are unlikely to cope with demand expected 10 to 20 years from now.”

Welcoming the progress towards an HSL, sSRA Chairman Sir Alastair Morton said,

“It is now time for the rail industry to put the disruption of the last three months behind it and begin to move on from its ‘nervous breakdown’. The disruption has shown how important the railway is to its customers and to the economy. It is now the job of operators to win back the confidence and trust of passengers. Much of the network is now operating reasonably consistently, although a number of long distance services on the main East Coast, West Coast and Great Western lines will continue to be restricted for some time to come. Restoring public confidence in, and raising awareness of the growing regularity of the services is the urgent short term priority for the industry. On most routes the trains are there for the passengers.

“Meanwhile the SRA, which leaves its shadow status behind on February 1, is working hard to bring about real improvements to services in the medium term through franchise replacement and through the investment programme made possible by the Government’s 10 Year Plan. Today’s announcement on the High Speed Line shows our commitment to the longer term strategic development of the rail network. Britain got into this mess by underinvestment. We must get out of it by investment to deliver the ten year plan”.

The sSRA is now advertising for consultants for Stage 2 of the HSL concept study and will be meeting with bidders during February and March of this year.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 7 February 2001.

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) announced today that it was halting negotiations on the replacement of the Central Trains franchise with the two companies who had submitted proposals – National Express Group plc and Group 4 Falck Global Solutions Ltd.

The SRA recognised the parties’ efforts, but was not satisfied with the value of the proposals it had received in response to its original invitation in March 2000. In addition, a number of policy issues relating to franchise replacement remain to be resolved with the Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs).

Mike Grant, Chief Executive of the SRA, confirmed that the current incumbent franchisee, National Express, is committed to meet the terms of the existing franchise agreement until its expiry in 2004. He has also secured the agreement of the company on the restructuring of the franchise to separate Cambrian Coast and Central Wales (Aberystwyth) line services for inclusion in the new Wales & Borders franchise.

Commenting on today’s announcement, he said:

“When the replacement process got underway last Spring, we made it clear that any detailed proposals from Group 4 and National Express would have to be competitive. Otherwise, the franchise would continue to run its remaining term. ”

In the event, we took the view that neither party’s proposals would have delivered the benefits passengers are looking for. We have always said that we would not agree longer franchises unless we were satisfied that they offered sufficient benefits to passengers and taxpayers.

“Up until the formal expiry date in April 2004, the SRA plan to continue with investment in the area served by the franchise with infrastructure improvements (IOS schemes) it has negotiated with Railtrack, and we are happy to consider local improvements under the Rail Passenger Partnership fund put forward by the company and the local authorities it serves.

“Irrespective of today’s announcement, proposals arising from the work we have commissioned in our West Midlands capacity study will continue to be progressed and the outputs taken account of in any future franchise”.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 8 February 2001.

18 additional vehicles are to be procured by Northern Spirit, under an agreement between the Strategic Rail Authority, West Yorkshire PTE and South Yorkshire PTE, to increase capacity on routes run by the Northern Spirit franchise in West and South Yorkshire.  The additional vehicles will come on stream at the earliest practicable opportunity.

Passengers on Merseyrail Electrics will benefit from an additional three coaches for morning peak services in the autumn and a further three coaches in the summer of 2002.

At the same time, the SRA, in consultation with the local PTEs, has reached agreement with Arriva plc for the Northern Spirit and Merseyrail Electrics franchises to be extended by up to two years with the option to terminate either franchise at an earlier date so that they can be transferred to new franchises negotiated competitively under the SRA’s franchise replacement programme.

Arriva acquired the franchises in February 2000 as part of the acquisition of MTL Services plc.  They were loss making, but Arriva agreed to operate them on existing terms until 18 February 2001.  The new agreements with Arriva take effect from that date.  Arriva has committed to maintain train services at the levels in the 2000/01 timetables and is aiming to improve performance and customer service.  It has also agreed to restructure the Northern Spirit franchise so that it can be sub-divided between the TransPennine and Northern franchises.  Operating subsidies contributed by the SRA and the local PTEs in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Tyne & Wear and Merseyside have been set at levels intended to reflect the costs, responsibilities and risks involved in operating the services and carrying out the restructuring of Northern Spirit.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 8 February 2001.

The SRA has reached agreement with National Express Group plc (NEG) to extend the Cardiff Railway, Wales and West, and the Great Northern services in the West Anglia Great Northern (WAGN) franchises, from the current termination date of 31 March 2001 to 30 April 2004.  This will ensure continuation of services until they can be transferred to the new Wales and Borders, Wessex and Thameslink franchises which are being negotiated under the SRA’s franchise replacement programme. The agreement contains provision for the existing franchises to be terminated when the new ones come on stream.

Under the deal, NEG has undertaken to restructure its operations in preparation for the new franchises.  It will combine the Welsh services of Wales and West with Cardiff Railway services to form the core of the new Wales and Borders; establish the remaining Wales and West services as the basis of Wessex; and prepare WAGN’s Great Northern services (from Kings Cross and Moorgate) for transfer to the Thameslink franchise.

NEG has also agreed to reorganise its Central Trains services in preparation for transfer of the mid Wales services to Wales and Borders at a time of SRA’s choosing.

Over the remaining tenure periods, NEG has committed to maintain services at levels in the 2000-01 timetable and has adopted improved customer service commitments. Operating subsidies have been set at levels intended to reflect the costs, responsibilities and risks involved in providing the services and carrying out the restructuring process.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 14 February 2001.

Railtrack Cost Increase Forces East Coast Main Line Review

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has been informed by Railtrack of an increase in its cost estimates for the long-planned upgrade of the East Coast Main Line.  This line, on which the main inter-city express franchise (currently held by GNER until April 24, 2003) is up for replacement, has come to suffer from severe capacity constraints as traffic has grown rapidly since privatisation.  Upgrading the ECML has been accepted by all parties as a priority for some time and Railtrack has had a substantial design team working on it for nearly three years.

Mike Grant, Chief Executive of the SRA said:

“We are examining with Railtrack the details of these cost increases which could range between 20% and, if specific provisions for contingencies are included, nearly 100%. We have been asked by the Deputy Prime Minister to advise him urgently of the reasons behind this rapid increase in costs.  Obviously, this new information must now generate a pause in the refranchising process for the East Coast Main Line while we review the contents and causes of this increase from Railtrack.   We have informed GNER and Virgin/Stagecoach.”

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 15 February 2001.

The next step towards establishing a new passenger rail franchise for Wales and Borders was taken today as the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) shortlisted four parties to prepare Best and Final Offers.

The shortlisted parties are:

· Arriva plc (franchisee of Northern Spirit and Merseyrail) in conjunction with Connex Transport UK Limited (franchisee of South Eastern, and also South Central).

· FirstGroup plc (franchisee of Great Eastern, Great Western and North Western).

· National Express Group plc (franchisee of nine operations including Wales and West, Cardiff Railway and Central Trains).

· Serco Rail (division of Serco Limited, manage the Manchester Metrolink and other rail technical services).

When let, the franchise will comprise most services currently operated within Wales by the Wales and West, Cardiff Railways (ValleyLines), First North Western and Central Trains franchises

Mike Grant, SRA Chief Executive, said:

“This has been a very popular competition, with a good range of proposals received.  I anticipate a tough competition to operate this new franchise, and the SRA will be working hard to use that process to extract the best possible deal for passengers.”

“The SRA has pressed hard over the past couple of months to separate those services that will transfer to the new Wales and Borders franchise, and to enable them to operate  together from later this year as an interim arrangement.  This is intended to simplify the transition for passengers and staff, paving the way for the creation of the new franchise”.