Potential bidders for the next Greater Western franchise

[whole diary]

[eightf48544]

Agree fully with your comments Grahame

Like 5a forgot that being London centric and spending most of my working life communting. But I did do a lot of trips to palces Leeds and derby being favorites used be regulars for breakfast on the i think the 07:50 St. Pancras Derby in the 70s.

re your point about a reliable regular 30 minute journey time and an unrelialble 25 minute every 2 hours I meet you at 271/2 rilways should be run briskly.

Re the rock I'll conceded that but if you don't throw it you will never know how far the ripples might go. You never know some statistical genius might be able to work out a simple measure. How about a traffic count at one point on the main Chippenham Melksham road?

[Trowres]

I'm intrigued by your rock idea, 8F; I was wondering if you had some idea of the magnitude of change that it should aim for, and the size of the reward? (say, x% traffic-->^y million reward).

[Surrey 455]

Govia (in the form of GoAhead) were responsible for the truly awful Thames Trains operation so their copy book is forever blotted in my world.

Hmm, maybe my memory is a bit clouded but I seem to recall Thames Trains as doing a good job for me as a West Drayton commuter with trains starting from Slough or Maidenhead. In those days it wasn't a case of can I find a seat as it is now, it was where would I like to sit. Even in the AM peaks. It's not so good now with the trains starting form further afield at Reading or Oxford.

[eightf48544]

I'm intrigued by your rock idea, 8F; I was wondering if you had some idea of the magnitude of change that it should aim for, and the size of the reward? (say, x% traffic-->^y million reward).

Thanks Trowres one of the great things about throwing rocks is to get other people to pick up the ripples. I like your idea X% reduction = ^Y million reward. Nice and simple.

We've got the germ of an idea here. Lets see how much further the ripples go.

[SapperPsmith]

List is out - Bidders are :

First Great Western Trains Limited (FirstGroup plc)
GW^▸ (Great Western) Trains Limited (Arriva UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Trains Limited ^ DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) (UK) Investments Limited)
NXGW^▸ (National Express Great Western - a bidder for 2013 franchise) Trains Limited (National Express Group PLC)
Stagecoach Great Western Trains Limited (Stagecoach Group plc)

[JayMac]

Press release from the Department for Transport confirms the list of pre-qualified bidders for the next Greater Western franchise, as well as the Thameslink and Essex Thameside franchises:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases/dft-press-20120329/

[caliwag]

National Express? spare us!

[anthony215]

I want either first or stagecoach to get the new franchise it will be terrible if National express get it although they could surprise us.

[Btline]

Stagecoach - no, as it will end competition for London to the West. Just watch SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s advances go up in price!
NX - no, for obvious reasons.*
Arriva - no because of XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) and because of lack of competition in South Wales.

Looks like it's First for me!

_{*Why have NX even prequalified? I thought they'd been BANNED from UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rail, the reason why NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia) was axed?}

[paul7575]

Why have NX even prequalified? I thought they'd been BANNED from UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rail, the reason why NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia) was axed?

NX were not ever (and IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) could not be) banned on a 'one out all out' basis, as legislation didn't allow for it.  It was all just so much political hot air, as NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) and NXEA were "completely separate" companies...

Paul

[Rhydgaled]

God forbid Arriva. Their bus operation (at least in Aberystwyth) is incompetent, before they abandoned the TrawsCambria Optare Tempo fleet they frequenty put one of the two special buses meant for the Aberystwyth - Cardiff service on the much shorter Aberystwyth - New Quay - Synod Inn route and have now retimed Aberystwyth - Carmarthen services to a hopelessly unrealistic schedule meaning nearly all services on the route are 5-10mins late. They also are not exactly very good at listening to passenger complaints ('Fix My Transport' told me Arriva won't respond to comments made through that site.) Rail-wise, ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) are looking like being a whole year late introducing class 67 + mrk3 + DVT^‡(resolve) sets on Cardiff - Wrexham - Holyhead express service(s), yet in the meantime they have still been charging WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) for the push-pull service PLUS charging extra for the 175 that is standing-in for the non-existant mark3 sets.

[anthony215]

God forbid Arriva. Their bus operation (at least in Aberystwyth) is incompetent, before they abandoned the TrawsCambria Optare Tempo fleet they frequenty put one of the two special buses meant for the Aberystwyth - Cardiff service on the much shorter Aberystwyth - New Quay - Synod Inn route and have now retimed Aberystwyth - Carmarthen services to a hopelessly unrealistic schedule meaning nearly all services on the route are 5-10mins late. They also are not exactly very good at listening to passenger complaints ('Fix My Transport' told me Arriva won't respond to comments made through that site.) Rail-wise, ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) are looking like being a whole year late introducing class 67 + mrk3 + DVT^‡(resolve) sets on Cardiff - Wrexham - Holyhead express service(s), yet in the meantime they have still been charging WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) for the push-pull service PLUS charging extra for the 175 that is standing-in for the non-existant mark3 sets.

Not to worry I have been told by some contacts I know that certain members of the WG are getting very annoyed with Arriva ( thats utting it politely).

In fact I am hoping for National express to run the next wales franchise (Just goes to show how much I hate ATW)

[The SprinterMeister]

Stagecoach - no, as it will end competition for London to the West. Just watch SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s advances go up in price!
NX - no, for obvious reasons.*
Arriva - no because of XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) and because of lack of competition in South Wales.

Looks like it's First for me!
_{*Why have NX even prequalified? I thought they'd been BANNED from UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rail, the reason why NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia) was axed?}

Agreed 100%.

I have to be honest and say that First, particularly during Haines and Hopwoods steward ship have been the only lot that have given the impression of knowing what they are about.

[JayMac]

I'm still a little uneasy with First Group's decision to walk away early from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to save money. Yes I know they were perfectly entitled to do so, but I still don't like that. Shareholders first, government second, passengers last.

I'm also a bit cynical about all the recent improvements that FGW have brought in and crowed about. That just seems like a charm offensive. Many of the recent improvements could've been delivered earlier in the current franchise and doing them now seem like a distraction technique designed to gloss over the problems in the past.

So. New broom please.

[EBrown]

List is out - Bidders are :

First Great Western Trains Limited (FirstGroup plc)
GW^▸ (Great Western) Trains Limited (Arriva UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Trains Limited ^ DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) (UK) Investments Limited)
NXGW^▸ (National Express Great Western - a bidder for 2013 franchise) Trains Limited (National Express Group PLC)
Stagecoach Great Western Trains Limited (Stagecoach Group plc)

SNCF^▸ (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais - French National Railways) didn't make the first cut for any of the franchises. Interesting.

I'm still a little uneasy with First Group's decision to walk away early from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to save money. Yes I know they were perfectly entitled to do so, but I still don't like that. Shareholders first, government second, passengers last.

I'm also a bit cynical about all the recent improvements that FGW have brought in and crowed about. That just seems like a charm offensive. Many of the recent improvements could've been delivered earlier in the current franchise and doing them now seem like a distraction technique designed to gloss over the problems in the past.

I agree with you, I don't think it shows great levels of commitment to the future franchise.