A perception (rightly or wrongly) in the Greater Bristol area is that our local authorities have to fund the net operating costs of various new/additional services whereas elsewhere in the country these are wrapped up in franchise specifications hence effectively funded by the DfT/devolved governments. Is this perception valid, and if so is that a result of not having a PTE or not being in a devolved nation or something else?
Either way are there any rules of thumb around when the costs of providing the enhanced rail service facilitated by local-authority funded capital investments transfer to the DfT, or is it negotiation on a case-by-case basis? And how does/will this change with the shift away from TOCs taking revenue risk?
Either way are there any rules of thumb around when the costs of providing the enhanced rail service facilitated by local-authority funded capital investments transfer to the DfT, or is it negotiation on a case-by-case basis? And how does/will this change with the shift away from TOCs taking revenue risk?