NEWS
Rail growth thanks to ‘private sector innovation plus government policy’ – RDG
The average Briton takes 24 rail journeys a year, up from 15 in 1998, and more than the French or Dutch.
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) Martin Griffiths
asked KPMG to collect and analyse the figures, updating work from last year. The results show that the average person in Britain travels 584 miles by train a year, compared to 380 miles 15 years ago.
And last year almost 50p in every £1 spent on rail fares went on discounted tickets, up from 36p 10 years ago.
RDG chair Martin Griffiths, Stagecoach Group’s chief executive, said: “Rail’s transformation
comes from a winning combination of private
sector innovation and government policy. Operators have used commercial acumen to attract passengers, and the growth in revenue has played a crucial role in enabling government to invest record sums through Network Rail.”
Railway growth since the late 1990s has averaged 4% a year. The RDG said: “Yet even with this growth, government funding for the railway at £4bn was the same in 2012/13 as in 1994/95 in real terms. Government support
for every journey is now also lower or the same as that for nine of the 12 years leading up to privatisation when the industry is implementing a major programme of rail improvements.
“Operator profits were £270m in real terms when private train companies first took over services in the 1990s and are now £250m. Over the same period the money operators generate that goes back to government to reinvest in more and better rail services has risen from £390m to £1.96bn, a 400% increase.”
c2c retains Essex Thameside franchise
The DfT has awarded and extended the Essex Thameside franchise to current operator c2c, owned by National Express.
As part of the 15-year deal, c2c has committed to rolling out passenger benefits that will cost it
approximately £160m.
The new franchise will run from 9 November 2014 until 2029. c2c will provide an additional fleet of 17 new trains on top of its existing fleet of 74 Class 357 Electrostars, providing almost 4,800 extra seats
on the line, the government said.
By the end of the franchise there will be 25,000 additional seats serving London in the morning peak every week.
The operator will also introduce a Personal Performance Promise, providing automatic compensation for delays over two minutes for registered users; and a new Passenger Charter, guaranteeing excellent customer services, including a right to be sold the cheapest ticket.
Free wi-fi will be available at stations on the line and on board trains, and more than £30m will be invested in improving stations, including Fenchurch Street and Barking. Complete step-free access will also be brought in at all stations.
Dean Finch, National Express Group chief
executive, said:
“National Express is very proud of our record on c2c, transforming it from the ‘Misery Line’ into consistently the best performing railway in the country.
“We believe our ambitious plans will transform the franchise again.”
The Essex Thameside franchise is one of the highest performing operators across the network with
12 | rail technology magazine Jun/Jul 14
around 97% of its trains running on time. It is also in the top 10 for overall passenger satisfaction.
Rail minister Stephen Hammond said: “Brand new trains, thousands more seats and millions of pounds invested in stations will mean significantly improved journeys for those passengers who use these services every day.”
The deal will mean the total number of vehicles serving the franchise will increase to 364 by 2024. Richard Brown, chairman of the Rail Franchising Advisory Panel, said: “The successful award of these competitions demonstrate the progress the department has made in its franchising programme.”
© Paul Bigland
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