ECML franchise fails .... again....

[rockershovel]

I’ve just seen that Vtec (a joint venture between Virgin and Stagecoach, dear me, what a combination) are being allowed to walk away from the ECML franchise, before making any real investment.

 

“Azuma” is, presumably, Japanese for “no such thing”

[John M Upton]

Where have you seen this?  I can find nothing about it.

[Gary H]

I’ve just seen that Vtec (a joint venture between Virgin and Stagecoach, dear me, what a combination) are being allowed to walk away from the ECML franchise, before making any real investment.

 

“Azuma” is, presumably, Japanese for “no such thing”

OR...

Bodgit, leg it & scarper.

[APOLLO]

The East Coast rail franchise will be terminated three years early, avoiding the embarrassment of another private firm handing back the keys to the government but potentially forfeiting hundreds of millions in premiums due to the Treasury.

Under a rail strategy announced by the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, a new partnership model will replace the franchise contract of Virgin Trains East Coast (Vtec).

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/29/east-coast-rail-franchise-terminated-three-years-early-virgin-trains

 

Brit15

Edited November 29, 2017 by APOLLO

[APOLLO]

Also this

 

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling today (29 November 2017) set out a new vision for our railways, including plans to end the operational divide between track and train and an evolution of the franchising system.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/strategic-vision-for-rail

 

Full report here

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/663124/rail-vision-web.pdf

 

Brit15

Edited November 29, 2017 by APOLLO

[John M Upton]

So they are not throwing in the towel and handing back the keys straight away, not until 2020.

[Joseph_Pestell]

A whole raft of "issues" here.

 

ECML performance has been poor. A lot of that is infrastructure problems to a previous Govt having skimped the electrification.

 

The new trains are entering service late. That may just have a little bit to do with DaFT specifying the 800s.

 

So does HM Govt want to fight another court case with Beardy and his Scottish pals????

[jim.snowdon]

It makes a lot of sense for the railway to be owned by one company that has, ultimately, responsibility for both operations and the infrastructure. All that was (is) required in accordance with EU rules is that operations and infrastructure are commercially separated and that the railway owner provides open access to other operators. That does at least allow issues that straddle the operations/infrastructure interface to be dealt with in a proper integrated manner without resort to commercial wrangling between the two sides.

 

The arrangements that HMG created when the railways were privatised, ie a complete separation of operations and infrastructure into completely independent companies were quite unnecessary, and quite often held as the prime example of how not to do it. Sanity might be beginning to prevail. It isn't entirely novel either - until the change of franchise SWT and Network Rail were getting along quite well as an alliance, and something of the same ilk has been working in Scotland.

 

Jim

[Purley Oaks]

Wonder if the new company will be like the previous franchisee, DOR, but with added NR?

 

VTEC only began operations on 1 March 2015.

[phil-b259]

Wonder if the new company will be like the previous franchisee, DOR, but with added NR?

 

VTEC only began operations on 1 March 2015.

 

Nope

 

VTEC will continue to run the service until around 2020 as a private sector franchise. They will then be allowed to walk away early from the contract with no penalty. The big point about this is that the premium payments VTEC ere due to make to the Treasury were significantly higher in the final few years of the franchise.

 

It will then be re-let to the private sector, only this time with a chunk of Network Rail attached under the guise of a 'Partnership'

 

DOR was a state owned operation - and has been made abundantly clear, nationalisation isn't something the Conservatives do - if it comes to it they simply issue 'management contracts' thus keeping operations theoretically out of state hands.

 

At the end of the day, this is a face saving operation for the Government - if no deal was done VTEC would simply have walked, handing back the keys as per National Express did causing all sorts of politically awkward questions. Instead what has been agreed allowed the Government to put a positive spin on it ("allowing us to introduce a new partnership arrangement with NR, etc") while at the same time keeping VTEC shareholders happy by allowing them to get out of the large premium payments they were due to make.

 

Given the news that Stagecoach shares jumped 12% in value after the deal was announced the RMTs headline of "RMT slams latest corporate welfare racket on East Coast mainline" is perhaps not too far from the truth.

 

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-slams-latest-corporate-welfare-racket-on-east-coast-line/

Edited November 29, 2017 by phil-b259

[royaloak]

 until the change of franchise SWT and Network Rail were getting along quite well as an alliance,

 

Jim

So the Public facing part says, it was rather different behind the scenes with SWT finances taking a hit due to the alliance working rather too well at recovering from (Network Rail caused) disruption meaning there was a lot less compensation due.

[pete_mcfarlane]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/29/east-coast-rail-franchise-terminated-three-years-early-virgin-trains

I note that the Guardian are still trotting out Christian Woolmer as an independent unbiased 'transport commentator'. The BBC stopped doing that after he tried to get himself elected as an MP for one of the main parties, which calls in to question how much of what he says is 'transport commentator' and how much is his parties political propaganda. 

[rockershovel]

I note that the Guardian are still trotting out Christian Woolmer as an independent unbiased 'transport commentator'. The BBC stopped doing that after he tried to get himself elected as an MP for one of the main parties, which calls in to question how much of what he says is 'transport commentator' and how much is his parties political propaganda.

 

The Guardian not politically neutral? Who’d have thought it? Edited November 29, 2017 by rockershovel

[62613]

The Guardian not politically neutral? Who’d have thought it?

Every news outlet has its 'angle', shall we say. Including, it would seem, the BBC

[Mallard60022]

Oh good, another set of stick on stuff to attach to the stock.  However, the poor old staff on the ECML must be getting pi##ed off with all of this change (or not?). They just get used to working with one Co's ideas and then along comes another raft of stuff for them to have to sort out. Hey ho. 

Our 'local news' (Yorkshire Look North) seemed to think that some of Grayling's announcements were exciting and it looked as if Skipton may become part of a through route again. If this is actually a genuine step towards regeneration of transport links with a true community purpose then I welcome it. However, I am not going to hold my breath.

Oh yes, Network Rail in this area are high profile, very very busy and are completing some excellent projects, most of which are achieved without disruption by teams of highly dedicated workers. They are also very positive in their support of the ECML steam workings. A bit more respect for this group would be good as they have a really horrible job to do most of the time. 

P @ 36E 

[rockershovel]

Every news outlet has its 'angle', shall we say. Including, it would seem, the BBC

To be fair, The Guardian have never claimed otherwise.

[62613]

To be fair, The Guardian have never claimed otherwise.

There has been a shift in their stance in recent years, leading to "I'm cancelling my subscription" type comments, both in the printed letters section, and online.

[Mallard60022]

To be fair, The Guardian have never claimed otherwise.

Agreed and we should remember it was The Manchster Guardian so probably had and has retained, a more northern outlook on affairs.

[pete_mcfarlane]

Every news outlet has its 'angle', shall we say. Including, it would seem, the BBC

Shouldn't that be 'angel' in the case of the Grauniad?

 

Whilst it's true that news outlets all have their bias, it's important to separate out comment from reporting. Presenting somebody who is a would be politician (and thus partisan) as an nonpartisan expert commentator is a slightly disingenuous. 

[Mallard60022]

Shouldn't that be 'angel' in the case of the Grauniad?

 

Whilst it's true that news outlets all have their bias, it's important to separate out comment from reporting. Presenting somebody who is a would be politician (and thus partisan) as an nonpartisan expert commentator is a slightly disingenuous. 

London Evenin' Stannit anyone?

P

[ess1uk]

Another fine mess

[pete_mcfarlane]

London Evenin' Stannit anyone?

P

I was talking about would be politicians, not people who used to be politicians and gave up in a massive huff because they didn't get their way. Not that I have anyone particular in mind.  

[jjb1970]

I used to like the Grauniad, even though it doesn't really represent me politically they had some high quality journalism, covered a wide range of genuine news stories and were mercifully free of celebrity tittle tattle non-news. Even some of the op-ed pieces were quite good fun. At one time I read it as a counter point to the Torygraph.

[w124bob]

I thought it was 51% Stagecoach 49% Virgin on the east coast, wonder who really calls the shots here. I was also told many years ago that Virgin as a trademark is copyrighted in such away that VWC payed a considerable fee for it's use. Mind you he's got a rocket to pay for so he's probably a bit short of cash !

[Zomboid]

ECML is 90% Stagecoach. WCML is the 51/49 split.