RAIL


INVESTMENT ON TRACK


Rail Delivery Group estimates that 7,000 new carriages will be introduced by 2021, as operators spend nearly £14 billion on bigger and better trains. These include:


• GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY – replacement of 40-year-old High Speed Trains on routes into


London Paddington is due to be completed in May, with electrification from Bristol Parkway to Cardiff also nearing completion.


• LNER – the state-owned operator, which has temporarily replaced Virgin on the East Coast


route, is taking delivery of similar trains, although introduction is behind schedule. They will increase capacity and enable direct services to London from more places, including Middlesbrough and Lincoln.


• TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS is introducing three new types of trains on routes in northern England


and into Scotland, transforming comfort, cutting journey times and increasing capacity.


• SCOTRAIL has introduced faster electric services between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and to


Stirling and Dunblane, while refurbished trains with better seating and an improved working environment have started serving Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness.


• CALEDONIAN SLEEPER is upgrading its entire fleet with the phased introduction of 75


new carriages in a £150 million investment, including en-suite rooms on overnight services between London and Scotland.


• GREATER ANGLIA is replacing all its trains with more than 1,000 new carriages by the end


of 2020, abolishing first class on all routes, except between London and Norwich.


• GOVIA THAMESLINK RAILWAY is introducing a further 150 carriages for services from


Moorgate station in London. This follows the introduction of 1,364 new carriages in recent years.


• HULL TRAINS is introducing new bimodal trains between London and Yorkshire


and the Humber.


• NORTHERN has introduced the first of 98 new trains.


112 MARCH/APRIL 2019 buyingbusinesstravel.com


an extensive consultation process, the rail industry has agreed to a new system of charges much more reflective of the changing nature of retailing and ticketing. It’s good for third-party retailers and good for passengers.” The cost of rail could be reduced if businesses claw back the compensation due to them for delays, with new franchise agreements bringing down the threshold for paying compensation to 30 or even 15 minutes’ delay. Third parties are stepping in to automate the process.


Both Travel Compensation Services (TCS) and Railguard are targeting business travellers, with predictions that other parties, currently hawking payment protection insurance claims, will switch focus to rail. The Business Travel Compensation scheme launched


by TCS is taking off because corporates are worried about traveller welfare, it says. Some corporates reclaim the money themselves while others allow employees to keep it, especially when delays occur outside working hours. “A change of franchise holder could be the turning


point, as the new operator has a clean sheet of paper and harsh targets to achieve,” says TCS managing director Sarah Dalby. “Up to 3 per cent of journeys are typically delayed, but by claiming the compensation due we can save a company 4-5 per cent of its total rail travel budget. We are actively working with more TMCs.” Railguard works exclusively with TMCs, winning a GTMC award for innovation last year. Managing director


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