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Tim
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« Reply #45 on: July 01, 2009, 09:11:07 » |
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A company which had defaulted in the way National Express now intends would not have pre-qualifed for any previous franchises let by the Department. I note that the parent groups of previous franchise failures are no longer in the UK▸ rail business. It is simply unacceptable to reap the benefits of contracts when times are good, only to walk away from them when times become more challenging.
I take this as a welcome suggestion that NX will not be winning any more franchises and a threat to the likes of First that they will be similarly punished if they walk away from any of their franchises. Good man Adonis |
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JayMac
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« Reply #46 on: July 01, 2009, 09:16:44 » |
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Over the years Richard Bowker has sung the praises of the franchise system - in fact he helped draw up the current modified system during his time at the Strategic Rail Authority. Turns out he may be good at writing the rules but not so good at sticking to them  |
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"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
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Timmer
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« Reply #47 on: July 01, 2009, 18:07:52 » |
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I take this as a welcome suggestion that NX will not be winning any more franchises and a threat to the likes of First that they will be similarly punished if they walk away from any of their franchises.
Good man Adonis
Exactly how it should be as well! |
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paul7575
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« Reply #48 on: July 01, 2009, 18:19:38 » |
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From what date and time were NXEC▸ 'stripped of the franchise' then?
All that the many news websites seem to confirm is that the franchise will be cancelled at some date in the future whenever NXEC miss a payment, but that hasn't happened yet.
Paul
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willc
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« Reply #49 on: July 02, 2009, 00:17:14 » |
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Lord Adonis's statement to the House of Lords is here http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/statements/eastcoastfranchiseHe makes clear the process of setting up a state operating firm is in hand, with Elaine Holt, former md of First Capital Connect, the chief executive designate. The Guardian website says the handover from NX to the Government will be by the end of this year. |
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JayMac
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« Reply #50 on: July 02, 2009, 21:33:38 » |
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Lord Adonis's statement to the House of Lords is here http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/statements/eastcoastfranchiseHe makes clear the process of setting up a state operating firm is in hand, with Elaine Holt, former md of First Capital Connect, the chief executive designate. The Guardian website says the handover from NX to the Government will be by the end of this year. At last we seem to have a Secretary of State who is not prepared to kowtow to the TOCs▸ . One wonders if Ruth Kelly or Geoff Hoon would've been so forthright. I also welcome Lord Adonis' assertion that the catering provision on the East Coast will be part of a new franchise commitment. One thing that sets Virgin West Coast apart is their complimentary hot food provision for 1st class ticket holders. NXEC▸ 's cutting of the trains running restaurants was shameful. Yes, I agree that freshly prepared food may not make a profit, but the point is it make the services more attractive to potential customers. FGW▸ recognised this when reducing their Pullman services. The change to Travelling Chef was an excellent compromise. |
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"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
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John R
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« Reply #51 on: July 02, 2009, 21:57:13 » |
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Given NE are losing money on the franchise, I would have thought the move will now happen as swiftly as the mechanics of transferring the business in an orderly manner can happen. Which means probably no more than a couple of months.
Wonder whether a state run company will keep the seat reservation charge?
It also throws into some doubt the proposed increase in services and the acquisition of Adelantes. Maybe Grand Northen will now be able to snap up the ones it needs.
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paul7575
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« Reply #52 on: July 02, 2009, 23:31:46 » |
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Wonder whether a state run company will keep the seat reservation charge?
Course they will. It worked OK for BR▸ all those years ago. And I feel sure it is predominantly aimed at cutting down the no shows when ticket types don't NEED reservations. Aren't Advance fares still free of charge anyway? Paul |
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moonrakerz
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« Reply #53 on: July 03, 2009, 07:07:33 » |
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JayMac
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« Reply #54 on: November 05, 2009, 09:41:40 » |
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From BBC» NewsNational Express will hand the running of the East Coast Main Line to the government at one minute to midnight on Friday 13 November.
The government said in July that it would take over the route, which runs trains between London and Edinburgh. Ministers had refused National Express's requests for its contract with the government to be renegotiated.
National Express said it did not expect passengers, services or employees to be affected by the handover. The company has been struggling with the franchise since it turned out that the amount it agreed to pay to run services on the line was too much. National Express agreed in 2007 to pay ^1.4bn over seven years to run the line.
The transport group stressed that its two other rail franchises would not be affected by the transfer of the East Coast franchise, although the government had threatened to take them back when National Express decided to hand back the East Coast franchise. National Express East Anglia runs trains from the east of England to London Liverpool Street as well as operating the Stansted Express, while c2c operates in the south of Essex, with trains going into London Fenchurch Street.
The East Coast franchise will now be operated by a government-controlled group called Directly Operated Railways. Staff currently employed on the line by National Express will transfer to the new company. It is expected to stay in government hands until 2011 when there is likely to be a fresh auction.
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"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
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JayMac
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« Reply #55 on: November 05, 2009, 11:38:14 » |
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I've just noticed the date for the handover. Obviously nobody's superstitious at the DfT» ! There is more detail about the handover on the Dft website here. |
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"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
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grahame
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« Reply #56 on: November 05, 2009, 17:13:23 » |
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I've just noticed the date for the handover. Obviously nobody's superstitious at the DfT» ! There is more detail about the handover on the Dft website here.Friday 13th November. Hmm. And wasn't there a big change on 1st April 2006 as well? Perhaps someon on the road side is superstitious and sets such dates |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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JayMac
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« Reply #57 on: November 13, 2009, 06:00:29 » |
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Latest news from the BBC» : State taking over key rail route
One of Britain's key rail routes is to be taken into public hands later.
National Express will hand back East Coast Mainline services between London and Edinburgh and the rest of the East Coast franchise just before midnight. Falling revenue and rising costs left it unable to meet a commitment to pay ^1.4bn for the franchise until 2015.
A government company, Directly Operated Railways, will run the franchise for at least 18 months. Ministers say staff and services will be unaffected.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has raised fears that services on the franchise's Glasgow branch, which provide 25,000 seats a week, will be scrapped by the end of next year.
'Radical reform'
However, Labour's Lord Foulkes said he had contacted UK▸ Transport Secretary Lord Adonis's office to be told that "no proposals for change" in the timetable had been put to him.
Ministers had refused National Express's requests to renegotiate the franchise, which it has run since 2007. It will instead be offered again at auction, probably in 2011.
Earlier this week National Express, which also operates coaches, said it plans to raise ^360m from investors in order to cut its debts of ^1.1bn.
Unions have called for the company's other franchises, covering routes between London and both East Anglia and southern Essex, to be taken away. The RMT▸ union wants the government to use the East Coast development as a first step to renationalising the whole railway network. General secretary Bob Crow said: "The game's up for railway privatisation in the UK. The bulk of the other rail franchises are only being kept afloat by hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayer subsidy."
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers has called for "radical reform" of the franchising process to encourage "better long-term strategic planning".
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"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
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Henry
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« Reply #58 on: November 13, 2009, 09:28:08 » |
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General secretary Bob Crow said: "The game's up for railway privatisation in the UK▸ . The bulk of the other rail franchises are only being kept afloat by hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayer subsidy."
You can't argue with that.
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