Great Western franchise extension - ongoing discussion, merged topic

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) also tweeted support in that they say negotiations are going to plan and a deal done within the timeline.

[phile]

Bob Crow is ranting on again saying that Booking Offices are to be closed and staff made redundant to encourage people to book on line.     If you don,t book on line you will be charged extortionate higher fares.   Some people or companies don,t seem to be aware or don't want to be aware that there are still many people, especially the elderly, who do not have Internet access or are computer literate.

[Red Squirrel]

I presume it is still possible to book by phone?

[ellendune]

If they want us to book more by machine they are going to have to make the machines more intelligent so that they can give the same advice the booking office is required to give as part of their franchise.

[Dark Star]

First Great Western is the Worst Railway company I EVER worked for.

Shame as Mr Hopwood is a nice chap, with true intent, but he needs to take lessons in Snake charming.

[Oxman]

I found FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to be, on the whole, a good employer. I didn't work for any other railway companies, so do not have Dark Horse's vast experience. But I did speak to a lot of people who worked for other companies and found that many of them wished that they could work for FGW.

First Group worked hard to create a "group" mentality - not easy when trainmen never wanted to be associated with bus bandits. It has created a staff benefits site, which offers a wide range of buying benefits and heavily discounted travel on trains and buses for friends and families on First Group services. Before I retired, I used to organise days out for my friends - for example, a day out to St Austell (for the brewery and Charlestown - highly recommended) for a fiver a head. A good time was had by all and my friends thought FGW was wonderful!

I know that, when FGW won the franchise and took over the former Thames trains and Wessex services, there was considerable resentment amongst the staff of those companies. I think this largely melted away in the East - most of the staff did quite well out of the single franchise. I suspect the resentment was more prolonged in the West. They are a funny lot out there!

Anyway, I agree with your comments about Mark Hopwood - a true railwayman who would always give his support when it was needed. And I speak from personal experience.

[ChrisB]

I can't believe people actually believe Bob Crow's banter.

Both the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have said he's talking bluster and the discussions are still on target for an October renewal.

Phile - suggest you take this with a pinch of salt....

[JayMac]

Is no news good news?

With just five weeks to go until the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise ends on 12th October we still have no news on who will be running trains in the Greater Western franchise area from the 13th.

It was January 31st when the original tender was cancelled and the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) used a franchise contractual term to keep First Group operating the Greater Western franchise for another 28 weeks from it's original termination date of 30th March 2013.

That's eight months in which to negotiate a deal, or for First Group to say "no thanks" or the DfT to say, "we're taking over".

What the heck is taking them so long?

[ChrisB]

Senior management on Tuesday referred to Virgin "getting three days notice", and thus aren't panicking...

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

I suspect that it is a case of bluff and counter bluff as each party seeks to get the best deal.

[Electric train]

I suspect that it is a case of bluff and counter bluff as each party seeks to get the best deal.

There might be a bit of that, I think its more checking the dots are there and the tees are crossed in the contract and that all assumptions are dealt with

[Oxman]

Not sure that you can read too much into it, but FGW^▸ (First Great Western) issued new staff passes recently which are valid for another year or so!

I think too much is being read into the lateness of the announcement. Its easy to suggest that there is a lot of haggling going on, with the "fat cats" at First attempting to screw every last penny out of the noble DFT^▸ (Department for Transport). I would suggest though that the basics were agreed some time ago. The basic costs are known, the revenue for the next three years is fairly predictable, and the profit required by First and acceptable to the DFT will fall within a well-defined range. No big deal really.

I would like to think that the reason it is taking so long is because there is an on-going discussion about how to take forward the development of the railway over the next few years (and the costs associated with this). There is plenty to talk about - the franchise holder will be significantly involved in all of the current infrastructure developments over the next few years. The DFT will have to fund the involvement of the franchise holder. Introducing new trains costs money. Some developments are revenue negative, e.g. disruption due to electrification, or completion of the Chiltern service to Oxford.

However, I would also like to think that some of the discussion is about service development - trans-Wilts or the Portishead projects for example. I suspect the DFT would not want to be accused of freezing the railway for two years because of self-induced problems in the franchising programme, so I would expect to see some such developments announced with the franchise extension. Not surprising therefore that it is taking time to complete the negotiations. Indeed, it might be regarded as a good sign!

[JayMac]

Not sure that you can read too much into it, but FGW^▸ (First Great Western) issued new staff passes recently which are valid for another year or so!

I've also heard that, And heard that the reason they were delayed is because of the uncertainty over the management contract and who was going to be running the franchise from October.

That said, it could just be that the staff travel has been agreed for Greater Western by whoever is running the show going forward.

Wider First Group staff travel passes were issued as normal back in April.

[eightf48544]

I don't envy the poor officials in DafT having to sort this out. Having been castigated for the original WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) fiasco which has led to the current hiatus  they must be absolutely terrified of making the wrong decesion on the exstention to the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) franchise. Will they be critised if they give to First as favouring teh incumbant. If they do give it to First will the terms be  consided too generous or not rigurous enough. So should they give it to DOR and be critised politically for rebnationalisng it.

Maybe they should just give all the facts and choices to the minister and let him decide after all it's a political decesion whoever makes it.

What ever they do will be wrong.

[John R]

What ever they do will be wrong.

Certainly Mr Crow will release a press statement to that effect whatever the outcome is.