First West Coast

[Harryn9000]

RE: First West Coast
as far as i have read the franchaise is end because they want to save tax payer money

[mbonwick]

RE: First West Coast
No, the franchise is over because it runs for a fixed period and that period has passed.

[First Class]

RE: First West Coast
Personally I don't think there is a problem with First not wanting an optional extension of the GW franchise... that's why it's optional! They did transform the Great Western franchise towards the end. Aside from a couple of ticket regulatory issues currently under investigation, from a passenger perspective, they are good.

That said, I suspect Arriva to get the Great Western franchise in 2013. Virgin (or Stagecoach) will probably get the East Coast.

[DVL418]

RE: First West Coast

(12/08/2012 11:43)mbonwick Wrote:  

(12/08/2012 05:49)wirralbus Wrote:  I think if virgin has lost the franchise then the Government has decided that Virgin has gone as far as it can with the West Coast , i do half expect that this decision is based on them becoming preferred bidders for East Coast and to try and turn that franchise into a household name like the West Coast franchise has become .

Nothing to do with that - its a sealed bid system. Everything to do with First offering more £££ in premium payments.
I've nothing against First as an operator, I have everything against them being awarded on an unrealistic bid.

Indeed, there is a history of succesful bidders including steeply rising premium payments from around the mid-point of a franchise - yet as that point arrives 'renegotiating' them down or away linked to a threat of handing back the keys.

There is now plenty of evidence that franchising over a period of less than 20 years doesn't work for rail where you seperate track from trains - merely ramps up cost to taxpayer/passenger by around 20-30% in favour of operators share price and dividend.

[childwallblues]

RE: First West Coast
My God

Arriva getting Great Western - doesn't bare thinking about. They are resented nationwide for what they have done to Cross Country.

[First Class]

RE: First West Coast

(13/08/2012 18:24)childwallblues Wrote:  My God

Arriva getting Great Western - doesn't bare thinking about. They are resented nationwide for what they have done to Cross Country.

I don't really think they had much control over the problems the XC franchise faces.

The Wi-fi was definitely their problem, however I do believe that the extensive fare hikes were necessary to stifle demand for their (over)crowded services. The DfT was ultimately responsible for the massive farce concerning the lack of rolling stock. Arriva, to their credit, did get hold of a couple of additional HSTs AFAIK...

I think 75% of problems the TOCs have are either inherited from BR or caused by the DfT.

[wirralbus]

RE: First West Coast
First Class how can you blame BR , the BR era is now 15 years ago for most franchises now , most franchises are getting to there second term now in the case of some like East Coast are on to there third franchise holder at the moment .

[First Class]

RE: First West Coast

(13/08/2012 21:05)wirralbus Wrote:  First Class how can you blame BR , the BR era is now 15 years ago for most franchises now , most franchises are getting to there second term now in the case of some like East Coast are on to there third franchise holder at the moment .

Well, for starters, there is the rolling stock issue. A lot of BR stock is still about, most if it life expired and in need of renewal. The DfT is primarily to blame here, and in the case of Merseyrail, the PTE. Things like the Pacer fleet should never have been commissioned by BR in the first place.

You also have the Beeching Report, which BR implemented, albeit again with government influence.

My pet hate is the legacy BR systems used to manage the fare systems, inherited from BR. It can add weeks on to projects because the computer systems are so outdated, slow and unbelievably complex. Again, you could argue that ATOC/DfT should have sorted this by now.

[mbonwick]

RE: First West Coast
Pacers were born out of necessity and without them we woudn't have a lot of the branchlines.

Similarly Beeching needed to happen - maybe he went a bit too far but it was still needed.

Very few of todays problems can be traced back to BR....

[wirralbus]

RE: First West Coast
Something cheap and easy to run was needed in the 1980's to replace multiple units that were life expired or on the point of life expiry.

The rail network is overly complex prioe to Beeching getting rid of lines which had no chance of ever making a profit and also getting rid of some lines that duplicated others .