From
the Department for Transport[url]
Cross Country rail services: prior information notice
Contract for provision of commuter, regional and long-distance rail services on the UK▸ conventional mainline rail system. It is envisaged the services will be substantially similar to those currently operated under the XC▸ Trains Limited Rail Contract (dated 13 October 2020), but subject to route operating and value for money (VfM) review. It is envisaged the services would run between:
Plymouth — Edinburgh via Leeds, with a limited service to and from Penzance – some services are extended to Glasgow via Motherwell and also to Dundee and Aberdeen
Reading — Newcastle via Doncaster
Bristol — Manchester
Bournemouth — Manchester via Coventry
Nottingham — Cardiff via Gloucester
Birmingham — Stansted Airport via Leicester and Peterborough
Birmingham — Leicester local services
A Direct Award is now envisaged, in line with the policy published in March 2013 issued further to Section 26 of the Railways Act 1993.II.1.4 (nature and quantity of services or indication of needs and requirements).
There is a mixture of leisure, business and commuter travel on these rail services.
II.2.7 Envisaged start date and the duration of the contract
Start date
15 October 2023.
Duration in months
96 months.
The contract will be a core term of 4 years with available additional rail periods up to a maximum of 8 years.
No mention of Guildford, Paignton, Newquay or Bath
Edit to add - list of all recent documents for all franchises at
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/rail-franchising
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