East Midlands Trains direct award announced

[43074]

NEW £13 MILLION PACKAGE OF BENEFITS FOR EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS CUSTOMERS

Customers will benefit from a wide range of improvements with a fares freeze on Anytime fares to London, a ticket sale offering 250,000 discounted tickets, cleaner stations, roll-out of a new “Cafe en route” to provide an enhanced on board service, new technology to help provide faster and better customer information when and where customers need it and a new automated refunds system.

Local communities will gain from the new deal, which will see an extra £250,000 invested in community rail, the introduction of a new schools education programme and continued investment in apprenticeships and graduate schemes.

Taxpayers will benefit from the agreement, with £150m of forecast premium payments to the Government between October 2015 and March 2018.

The new franchise will commence on 18 October and run until 4 March 2018. The DfT has the option to extend the contract by up to one year.

East Midlands Trains operates services from London St Pancras International to Northamptonshire, the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, as well as local routes throughout Lincolnshire, the East Midlands and Staffordshire and trains between Liverpool and Norwich. Planned improvements to be delivered for customers include:

• Better value fares – freeze on all Anytime fares to London until 2017; and quarter of a million discounted Advance Purchase tickets made available through our biggest ever ticket sale
• New technology and easier travel – launch of new mobile app; upgraded 4G connectivity on trains and free 15 minutes WiFi on London trains in Standard Class; new smartphones for customer-facing employees; more ticket machines; and extra help-points at stations
• Cleaner stations and trains – extra cleaning staff on trains and cleaner stations
• Accessibility and security improvements – new in-house disability expert; improved passenger assistance system; £1m investment in station accessibility improvements; and extension of secure stations programme
• Improved on-board service – on-board shop available on many busy peak time services to/from London to offer an even wider range of drinks and snacks; catering trolley service extended to more stops on Liverpool to Norwich services; complimentary First Class breakfast extended to include selected Saturday morning services for the first time
• More seats and faster journeys – further improvements to the Nottingham-Newark-Lincoln timetable, with extra services and faster journey times on Saturdays; working with the Department for Transport to examine options for further improvements to services at weekends across other local routes
• Community engagement – extension of community rail programme, supported by extra £250,000 in funding and new Partnerships Manager; roll out of schools education and work experience initiatives; new Charity Committee; expansion of popular station adoption scheme; and further work to promote and support local small and medium-sized businesses
• Investment in people – more frontline staff to help customers; enhanced customer service training for employees; providing more opportunities for graduates and young people.
• Faster refunds – an improved online compensation system for delays, providing faster compensation to customers who make valid claims;

Martin Griffiths, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: “This is a significant package of investment for customers travelling on East Midlands Trains, Britain’s most punctual long-distance train operator. It will build on what our team has achieved over the past eight years and deliver further valuable improvements for the millions of passengers and many communities who rely on the East Midlands Trains network.

"Britain's railway is part of the fabric of our communities - that is why our plans include more opportunities for graduates and young people, new links with schools, greater investment in community rail, and improved training to help our employees deliver a first class service to customers.

"The new East Midlands Trains franchise will also deliver a multi-million-pound return to the taxpayer to help fund the Government's ongoing investment programme for the UK rail network."

Rail Minister Claire Perry said: “This is a great deal for East Midlands Trains customers, and will mean significantly better journeys for passengers travelling around the region.

“This is another example of the work we’re doing to transform the UK’s railways as part of our long-term economic plan, with more than £38 billion being spent on the network between 2014 and 2019.”

Jake Kelly, Managing Director of East Midlands Trains, added: “This is great news for customers and taxpayers. Over the past eight years, we have demonstrated our commitment to providing the best possible service for our customers. The agreement with the Department for Transport will now allow us to invest even further in the areas that matter most to our customers.

“As well as improvements to stations and our on-board service, we’ll also be rolling out new technology to make journeys even easier. At the same time, we’ll be offering better value for money by cutting the cost of thousands of fares and launching our biggest ticket seat sale, all designed to offer big improvements for millions of East Midlands Trains customers.”

Since the start of the East Midlands Trains franchise in November 2007, East Midlands Trains, which was named Passenger Operator of the Year last year, has delivered a major programme of improvements for customers with the following highlights:

• Most punctual long distance train operator over six consecutive years
• Worked successfully with Network Rail to complete a £100m re-signalling project at Nottingham
• Completed a major improvement scheme at Nottingham station to create a new world-class transport hub
• Opened new stations at East Midlands Parkway and Corby
• Introduced faster journey times to London and launched a second train an hour between Sheffield and London
• Secured additional trains to provide extra capacity on the Norwich-Liverpool route and extra services between Nottingham and Lincoln
• Launched free WiFi at 30 stations and opened a new 24/7 customer contact centre
• Completed a £30m refurbishment of every train in the fleet
• Customers and communities have benefitted from more than £300m worth of station improvements.

Stagecoach Group has submitted its bid for a new Transpennine Express franchise and its joint venture with Abellio is shortlisted to bid for a new East Anglia franchise. The successful bidder for Transpennine Express is expected to be announced in December 2015, with the franchise commencing in April 2016. The winner of the new East Anglia franchise is expected to be announced in June 2016, with the franchise commencing in October 2016.

Seems good news, good to hear about the extension of catering on Norwich to Liverpool services and the additional Saturday services between Nottingham and Newark Castle. Also suggests Stagecoach and the DfT still have a fairly good relationship despite the talks with South West Trains over a similar direct award breaking down.

More on the DfT website

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

They are just marking time really, until the next franchise competition.
Nothing about rolling stock at all, or electrification, or even MML route upgrades (except Corby redoubling).

 

[Starmill]

The usual spin and nonsense. "Better value fares" =/= frozen anytimes or more advances. I'm not complaining about EMT's fares structure, it's pretty good compared to some. But the language of something being genuinely better value suggests to me (and I think a lot of people) cheaper Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets. You can bet these will be going up by as much as they're permitted.

Some of the other stuff we're expected to be happy about is also confusing: online delay repay form? Yeah nobody else does that, do they? More cleaners suggests they're currently employing too few to adequately clean all of their trains (probably true, but will they admit it?).

Slightly better catering and the small sum of £250,000 for 'community engagement' sound more positive, but they're relatively small, tinkering changes.

I'm intriged as to what Mr Griffith's basis for calling this "a significant package of investment" really is.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Nice that all concerned recognise the lacking standard catering on London trains at busy times

 

[HH]

It's just enough that DfT can present it as a good news story without spending any real money. Same as all the other Direct Awards. I imagine that the reason Stagecoach took this one was that they're not so confident of hanging onto it come the next Franchise.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Interesting to see buffets returning - hadn't they abolished them?

Free 15 minutes' wifi? That seems to be (a) penny pinching, and (b) surprising given the general trend to free throughout.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Interesting to see buffets returning - hadn't they abolished them?
Free 15 minutes' wifi? That seems to be (a) penny pinching, and (b) surprising given the general trend to free throughout.

There was a trolley yesterday on EMT (Norwich-) Manchester-Liverpool, so they must exist currently.

 

[telstarbox]

There have been trolleys between Stockport and Sheffield on the Liverpool - Norwich section for many years.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There was a trolley yesterday on EMT (Norwich-) Manchester-Liverpool, so they must exist currently.

No, it talks of "on board shops" which means a return of buffet cars. I know there are already trolleys.

 

[LeeLivery]

The usual "good value for taxpayers" blah blah blah. I do hope the trains will be actually cleaner though. I got on two Meridians couple weeks ago and the seats really needed a good clean. Never seen a SWT seat with the head rests almost dark brown/black.

 

[Starmill]

They need re-upholstering, a few onboard cleaners aren't going to change that. The award doesn't seem to make any reference to interior refurbishment?

 

[43074]

True it isn't anything particularly exciting but equally EMT are pretty good at the moment so I am happy with them marking time until the next franchise.

Some of the other stuff we're expected to be happy about is also confusing: online delay repay form? Yeah nobody else does that, do they? More cleaners suggests they're currently employing too few to adequately clean all of their trains (probably true, but will they admit it?).

The delay repay will be accompanied by a new app and e-ticketing so that's a step in the right direction even if it is catching up with others who already offer it. Their standard of cleaning is very high anyway, e.g. their 156s are in much better condition than Northern examples.

Interesting to see buffets returning - hadn't they abolished them?

They were abolished on weekdays but at weekends the buffet is still used, and is also popular.

The new ''Cafe-en-Route'' offer was trialled on weekdays recently which used the buffet area on selected London services, as were trolleys between Nottingham and Peterborough so I assume it was in connection with this.

 

[Blamethrower]

looks to me like all the staff are getting smart phones.

Everything else is all marketing guff.

The seats need re-upholstering, the toilet areas still stink, the diesel fumes are still horrible in st pancras and all tunnels, the windows are filthy, etc etc.

 

[pemma]

Shadow Transport Secretary's response:

Responding to today’s announcement on the new contract for East Midlands’ Trains, Lilian Greenwood, Labour’s new Shadow Transport Secretary and MP for Nottingham South, said:

“Any improvements for passengers will be welcome, but Ministers will be hoping that passengers don’t read the small print because today’s announcement raises real fears of new cuts to come.

“There is no mention of key infrastructure improvements that Ministers were promising to deliver as recently as June – and the only improvement to the line that is mentioned is too late to cancel.

“A decision is urgently needed on new trains for the route but the Government has ducked it today. Worse still, Ministers have halved the value of premium payments the operator is expected to make back to taxpayers.

“The East Midlands receives the lowest rail investment in England, and once again this looks like smoke and mirrors from a Government that has already inflicted swingeing cuts on vital improvement projects such as electrification in the region.”

http://www.eastmidslabour.org.uk/rail_announcement_raises_fears_of_new_cuts

 

[dk1]

Catering trolley extended East from Nottingham is all the good news I need to hear. Needs to go through to Ely at many passengers get on/off at Peterborough from East Anglia. As said earlier, there has always been provision from Nottingham onwards towards the NW.

 

[Haydn1971]

Free 15 minutes' wifi? That seems to be (a) penny pinching, and (b) surprising given the general trend to free throughout.

Interesting about improving the 4G connectivity onboard trains - Although I've been keen on wifi on trains, I'd much prefer improved 4G connectivity so I can simply use my own mobile plan and not fight with people streaming video on a free wifi connection. How do other nations deal with mobile comms on trains ? Specifically I've read comments on here about mobile calls in Swiss tunnels, does that also include 3G/4G data too ?

 

[gimmea50anyday]

So no breakup of the LIV-NRW service replacing with the TPE LIV-NOT proposal? Hmm....

Wonder if a direct award for northern and TPE may also be in the pipeline, again bumping the franchises along until just inside the next election so the govt really dont have to do anything with the status quo that just about manages but doesnt really do anything constructive but still looks good to treasury coffers and the share balances.....

 

[LowLevel]

Breaking up Liverpool to Norwich is looking more daft all the time - I've been seeing more and more through custom passing Nottingham as time goes by.

 

[sprinterguy]

So no breakup of the LIV-NRW service replacing with the TPE LIV-NOT proposal? Hmm....

Wonder if a direct award for northern and TPE may also be in the pipeline, again bumping the franchises along until just inside the next election so the govt really dont have to do anything with the status quo that just about manages but doesnt really do anything constructive but still looks good to treasury coffers and the share balances.....

That would be difficult, given that the bids for the new Northern and TPE franchises have already been submitted. The Northern and TPE franchises are already currently operating in their direct award period.

Splitting the Liverpool to Norwich service would be more of a consideration for the next wholly new East Midlands franchise.

 

[pemma]

So no breakup of the LIV-NRW service replacing with the TPE LIV-NOT proposal? Hmm....

That was to find a new route for 185s released from North TPE to go on to. Now Manchester-York electrification has been delayed splitting up Liverpool to Norwich would create a solution to a non-existent problem.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Breaking up Liverpool to Norwich is looking more daft all the time - I've been seeing more and more through custom passing Nottingham as time goes by.

And the current portion-worked setup seems to work, though I can see a future need for 6-car (2 on to Norwich).

 

[Baxenden Bank]

So, stuck with the 153's on Crewe to Derby until they finally expire of old age then. Dirty, smelly, no leg room, insufficient capacity for peak times.

 

[6Gman]

So, stuck with the 153's on Crewe to Derby until they finally expire of old age then. Dirty, smelly, no leg room, insufficient capacity for peak times.

I must be travelling on different 153s then!

Clean, not smelly, adequate legroom (I'm 5 9) - agree re capacity at peaks.

 

[devinier]

I must be travelling on different 153s then!

Clean, not smelly, adequate legroom (I'm 5 9) - agree re capacity at peaks.

If there was a like button I would have pressed it !

I would add the 153 is also sometimes a 158...

 

[Bletchleyite]

I must be travelling on different 153s then!

Clean, not smelly, adequate legroom (I'm 5 9) - agree re capacity at peaks.

5' 9" is not tall. Are you also long in the body and short in the leg? I'm 6' 4" and the other way round (long upper leg) and I've never been on any 153 on which legroom could even vaguely be considered "adequate". Unless the EMT ones have an unconventional low-density layout, but I doubt it.

 

[bb21]

True it isn't anything particularly exciting but equally EMT are pretty good at the moment so I am happy with them marking time until the next franchise.

Funny how complaints seem to mostly come from people not living near the core of the company's operations.

They are no angel, but they do a much better job than most other TOCs imo.

 

[Mojo]

The last few times I have travelled on East Midlands, the "buffet" has just been the Rail Gourmet trolley parked up in the buffet area.

 

[Bungle965]

If there was a like button I would have pressed it !

I would add the 153 is also sometimes a 158...

I shall add that I have also seen 156s working this route quite a few times. So all is not lost.
Sam

 

[MichaelAMW]

Funny how complaints seem to mostly come from people not living near the core of the company's operations.

They are no angel, but they do a much better job than most other TOCs imo.

Inclined to agree. And on the non-London side all the stock is ex-BR. One of their big problems seems to be getting the capacity where and when it's needed. If there was a magic button to teleport a 158 from, e.g. Lincoln to Liverpool at 4.30 pm then I suspect that they could meet all their capacity needs. Unfortunately, there are times when they cart fresh air around as part of bigger picture planning, e.g. over the five and a half hours between Liverpool and Norwich a train can start as a crack of dawn special with hardly anyone on it and turn into a packed commuter train elsewhere. Equally true on the London route but that's a much simpler operation and seems to have enough rolling stock. Not unique to EMT, of course.

 

[dk1]

Unfortunately, there are times when they cart fresh air around as part of bigger picture planning, e.g. over the five and a half hours between Liverpool and Norwich a train can start as a crack of dawn special with hardly anyone on it and turn into a packed commuter train elsewhere.

As has been well publicised in the last week or so in regard to the 04:28 Glasgow Central-Manchester Airport