2009 REVIEW
August
MY 2009
■ The Rail Professional reader survey reveals that
managers in the rail industry want longer franchises
Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association
and believe that Network Rail is doing a good job
of Train Operating Companies
overall. The late Gwyneth Dunwoody is rated as the
person outside the industry to have done most for
passengers from Ashford to London in the railways in the last 10 years.
37 minutes. ■ DB Schenker snatches Stobart’s rail business from
It has also been a year of DRS, having won the contract Royal Mail from GBRf earlier in the year.
commitment to and aspiration for a
better rail future, despite the tough
September
economic climate. Alongside the ■ The Glasgow Airport Rail
London Midland saw
announcement of HS2 in January, Link is scrapped in a cost cutting
its services grind to a
other signifi cant developments exercise.
halt on Remembrance
have included the announced ■ The high-speed race gathers
Sunday.
First and foremost, this has been electrifi cation of the routes from pace as both Greengauge 21
a year of improved delivery for London to Swansea and Liverpool to and Network Rail release their
passengers. Punctuality continues Manchester, as well as pledged extra recommendations for high-speed
to break records, with more than investment to improve stations. routes to Scotland.
nine out of 10 trains reaching their Finally, the year has seen a ■ London Midland is forced to
destination on time, whilst fi gures welcome focus on the future of cancel almost all of its services
from Passenger Focus show that four franchising. The East Coast line has one Sunday as drivers refuse
out of fi ve customers are satisfi ed been the topic of many column to work weekends during pay
with the services that they receive. inches, but the recent announcement negotiations. First Capital
Train companies continue to that the franchise will be re-let to Connect will suffer from the
innovate and bring improvements for the private sector in November 2011 same problems later in the year.
passengers – for example, the new is good news for passengers and
High Speed Javelin service will take taxpayers.
October
■ Aslef drivers in Scotland begin a go slow at open level
crossings, following an accident at Halkirk, near Wick,
which saw three car occupants die.
■ Stagecoach begins talks with National Express about
On the right track
a ‘friendly merger’, following FirstGroup’s interest in
National Express earlier in the year. The talks fall through.
The Carter Jonas Infrastructures Team delivers land agency
November
project management, in whole or in part, to the public sector, ■ National Express hands back the East Coast franchise, which is taken
statutory providers and civil engineering companies via over by the government-run East Coast trains, headed up by former
contract, partnership and joint venture arrangements. FirstGroup mangers Elaine Holt and Karen Boswell.
■ Fare rises for January 2010 are revealed, but underneath the drop in
Our expertise is tried and tested: benefiting a wide range of
fares brought about by negative infl ation, steep rises are to be seen on a
clients, including Network Rail, Carillion Plc, BAM Nuttall Ltd
few unregulated fares.
and ThamesLink.
December
■ Southeastern’s full timetable of high-speed services begins, running
between Kent and St Pancras on HS2, following preview services earlier in
BS EN ISO 14001: 2004 BS EN ISO 9001: 2008
the year.
EMS 534581 FS 79044
Supplier No 19246
■ The winner of the contract to build the new Thameslink rolling stock
was due to be announced as Rail Professional went to press.
What will 2010 hold in store for the railways?
■ HS2: With Sir David Rowlands reporting back on recommendations for
Mark Hall-Digweed a high-speed route to the Midlands, plans for a new high-speed line should
Swindon
be more concrete by the end of the year.
T: 01793 437200
E: mark.hall-digweed@carterjonas.co.uk
■ The elections: Will rail policy change as a result?
■ Electrifi cation: Now that the government has started the ball rolling,
carterjonas.co.uk
other lines may get the go-ahead to be wired up in 2010.
■ New franchises: While no new franchises are scheduled to begin in
Offices throughout the UK 2010, competitions for 2011 franchises will begin, including West Coast,
Essex Thameside and Greater Anglia.
20 RAIL PROFESSIONAL : JANUARY 2010
RPJan10 pp18-20 2009 Review.indd 20 11/12/09 13:08:33
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