Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail / Great British Railways

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

Also no TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) timetable staff & no staff required to determine cause and attribution of every delay. No fares staff either. Slimmed down TOCs will result in cost reduction and potentially cheaper contracts to run trains.

Timetable planning is labour intensive and might still need nearly as many staff as today, but employed byGreat British Railway (GBR^▸ (Great British Railways)) rather than by each TOC.
The savings in staff involved in delay attribution will be welcomed except by those put out of work.

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[ChrisB]

MR^▸ (Midland Railway, or Motor Rail, depending on context) already have floors of timetable staff that check & approve TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) bids and re-bids. I doubt they’ll need (m)any additional heads

[Zoe]

Also no TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) timetable staff & no staff required to determine cause and attribution of every delay. No fares staff either. Slimmed down TOCs will result in cost reduction and potentially cheaper contracts to run trains.

It does say though that as numbers recover, long distance operators will have more autonomy and commercial freedom (page 31).  It expands on this on page 58 by saying:

As passenger numbers recover, contracts will be fexible and include the possibility for operators to act more commercially on some services, when this is the most value for money option and it is fnancially sustainable for the operator to take on these responsibilities. As that happens, operators on those routes, predominantly the long-distance ones, will be able to make more decisions including setting more of their own fares and taking more revenue risk – though affordable 'turn up and go' fares and seasons will be protected,

[broadgage]

MR^▸ (Midland Railway, or Motor Rail, depending on context) already have floors of timetable staff that check & approve TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) bids and re-bids. I doubt they’ll need (m)any additional heads

Good point. Whom is "MR" ? Typo for NR^» (Network Rail - home page) ?

[ChrisB]

Indeed, but what happens to those staff before that ability kicks in?

Yes, typo for NR^» (Network Rail - home page). Sorry, on iphone keyboard

[Marlburian]

Passengers optimistic while unions concerned over Government railway shake-up

The words "strikes" and "conflict" feature.

[broadgage]

Would that be the same unions that have regularly called for public ownership of the railways ?

[Lee]

Would that be the same unions that have regularly called for public ownership of the railways ?

Now, do you mean public ownership, or public operation, or both, or none?...

A new public body called Great British Railways will specify the timetables...but private operators will still exist and run the trains.

Great British Railways will set the fares...except in some circumstances where the private operators will set the fares.

The devolved administrations will continue to award contracts and set fares...but Wales will have to do so jointly with Great British Railways in future, while Scotland will be invited to "explore options" for doing so. Both will be required to accept Great British Railways branding.

Great British Railways will eliminate the fragmentation endemic in the current system...except where allowing multiple "new and innovative bidders", community rail partnerships and open access operators to run local services creates even more fragmentation.

Now, I do appreciate the instinct to celebrate the apparent second coming of British Rail, and I dont want to come across as some Neo-Gallic version of Eeyore intent on raining on your parade but...

...It won't work so don't do it!!! 

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)'s report (earlier) - a nice passenger summary (though still some stuff in here which may be more principle than practice)

[broadgage]

Would that be the same unions that have regularly called for public ownership of the railways ?

Now, do you mean public ownership, or public operation, or both, or none?...

A new public body called Great British Railways will specify the timetables...but private operators will still exist and run the trains.

Great British Railways will set the fares...except in some circumstances where the private operators will set the fares.

The devolved administrations will continue to award contracts and set fares...but Wales will have to do so jointly with Great British Railways in future, while Scotland will be invited to "explore options" for doing so. Both will be required to accept Great British Railways branding.

Great British Railways will eliminate the fragmentation endemic in the current system...except where allowing multiple "new and innovative bidders", community rail partnerships and open access operators to run local services creates even more fragmentation.

Now, I do appreciate the instinct to celebrate the apparent second coming of British Rail, and I dont want to come across as some Neo-Gallic version of Eeyore intent on raining on your parade but...

...It won't work so don't do it!!! 

The new arrangements are not full public ownership, but are a significant step towards public ownership, and should therefore surely be welcomed by the relevant trades unions.

I personally have some misgivings and remember the faults of BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)), but think that this is PROBABLY a forward step.
My main concern is the civil service love of over complicating everything that they can.

[IndustryInsider]

I’d love to know what would have happened with the Williams review had the pandemic not happened and it’s measures instantly becoming far easier to push through!

[grahame]

I’d love to know what would have happened with the Williams review had the pandemic not happened and it’s measures instantly becoming far easier to push through!

Fascinating but hypothetical question.   We could discuss it long into the night summer and never come to an agreement at how it would have gone.

I speculate, though, it would have been called "Williams" and not "Williams-Shapps", with the government much more wanting to distance itself from those hard-to-push-through elements, and with no recovery-from-covid dividend it could take the credit for.

[RichardB]

I’d love to know what would have happened with the Williams review had the pandemic not happened and it’s measures instantly becoming far easier to push through!

I speculate, though, it would have been called "Williams" and not "Williams-Shapps".

I think it is really interesting that Grant Shapps has added his name to this and I think it is very positive too.  A sign to me that the Government are really committed to implementing the plan. 

[TonyN]

I wonder if this Increase in Pay as you go journeys is to be driven off the existing fares database.

The one that tried to tell me yesterday that the cheapest ticket I could buy for a return trip from Oxford to Newbury with a senior railcard leaving at 09.32 was £31.25 and only 3 tickets where left.  This showed on my West Midland trains App and the National Rail Enquires App.

Further investigation found that this fare was the First class period off peak return available after 09:00 as is the Standard class day return at £9.60. Later trains showed the standard class fare.

As to why only 3 tickets where available is another mystery of the database.

I bought the £9.60 ticket and as I was already on the train I was aware that it conveyed standard and first class accomadation.

Looking at the same 2 Apps for tomorrow at 09:32 shows the correct standard class fare.

[ChrisB]

Is either service reservsable? If so, the system might be required to reserve you a seat - certainly on XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) from Oxford-Reading, and possibly GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) on IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) too. It would show only the class of seat left available.

For example, Cross Country franchise trains (XC) is sold out on most trains tomorrow afternoon already, with no tickets available « sold out »

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronyms