East Coast rail franchise shortlist revealed
THE shortlist of bidders that will be invited to deliver proposals for improved services for passengers on the InterCity East Coast rail franchise has been announced by the government.
The companies that have successfully passed the Pre-Qualification Evaluation stage and can now start working on developing their plans for the franchise, before they receive the government’s Invitation to Tender are: East Coast Trains (First Group); Keolis/Eurostar East Coast (Keolis (UK) and Eurostar International Limited) and Inter City Railways (Stagecoach Transport Holdings and Virgin Holdings).
These potential operators will need to consider how they intend to use the latest high-tech trains, built in the UK by Agility, to deliver more passengers to more of the UK’s biggest cities faster and in greater comfort.
The government is expecting to see how the future operators will capitalise on the significant government investment along this route, including £240m in infrastructure projects over the next five years to improve capacity and reduce journey times.
Rail minister Stephen Hammond said: “Giving passengers more will be at the heart of the new East Coast franchise. That means new services and journeys that are faster, more punctual and more comfortable. When these companies are developing their proposals they should be looking at ways to innovate and grow the service.
“We have embarked on one of the biggest programmes of rail investment ever, with over £35bn being spent to enhance and run our rail network over the next five years. But for our railways to continue to grow we need strong private sector partners who can invest and innovate in ways that deliver a world class service.”
While the East Coast franchise has been stabilised under government ownership since 2009, the route now needs a long-term private sector operator to plan for the future and meet the increasing demands for more trains serving even more destinations.
When it started the franchise competition in October 2013 the government published the InterCity East Coast prospectus which set out the areas prospective bidders will need to consider when they start developing their proposals. These include developing innovative timetables which build on the core train service requirement published by the Department for Transport (DfT); investment in innovative ways to transform the customer experience on trains and at stations and identifying further opportunities for investment along the route, particularly at stations.
The DfT is planning to issue the Invitation to Tender at the end of February and the potential operators will then have at least three months to develop their bids, before the new services start in February 2015.
East Coast is one of the two main London to Scotland railways providing frequent services. It is an electrified 393 miles (632 kilometres) railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
It is one of the fastest conventional lines in the UK with most of the line being cleared for 125 miles per hour (200 kilometres per hour) operation. Non-electrified line extends further north into Scotland from Edinburgh to Inverness and Aberdeen.
Alistair Gordon, CEO, Keolis UK, said: “We are pleased to be shortlisted for one the most important rail franchises in the country and we see this as a testament to the strength and quality of Keolis’ and Eurostar’s credentials both here in the UK and internationally.
“We will now concentrate on ensuring we deliver a robust bid that will detail a clear step change in the passenger experience and a renewed network for the long term benefit of UK rail.”
Nicolas Petrovic, chief executive of Eurostar, added: “The East Coast franchise represents an important opportunity for future growth and investment. Over the coming months we will draw on our collective skills and expertise to present a compelling bid for this vital economic artery and key route.”
