Rail Public Service Contracts engagement announced by DfT

[Snow1964]

DfT has release series of press links on rail PSC, contracts for punctual, reliable railway

Rail passenger service contracts market engagement day announced​

Passenger service contracts create a new way of working between the public and private sector to provide punctual and reliable rail passenger services.

Rail passenger service contracts market engagement day announced

Passenger service contracts create a new way of working between the public and private sector to provide punctual and reliable rail passenger services.

www.gov.uk

• Passenger service contracts (PSCs) set to be introduced for rail operators as part of Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail reforms
• new contracts designed to deliver high-quality, punctual and reliable services on a rail network focused on passengers
• the first phase of market engagement, to encourage new, ambitious thinking into the railways, will begin with the Rail PSC Day on 4 November

There is also a big document previewing this

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1024807/psc-market-engagement-preview.pdf

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Franchising is dead.... Long live franchising-lite.

The PSC processes look like truncated franchise arrangements with a large top-level chunk centralised at the GBR level.
No real substance in terms of GBR structure and regional operation - maybe that will appear at the 4 November event.
The names and faces of those in charge of the transition look rather familiar.
As written, it's aimed at seeking bids from the private sector, so we can expect the OLR TOCs to go back into private hands at some point.
The TOCs will employ staff and deal with unions as now, so presumably no common staff contracts or T&Cs.

The timescale to set up the contracts (2024) is disappointing, but no doubt dependent on getting the primary legislation through Parliament.
No hint of special arrangements for Wales or Scotland, beyond regional and local involvement in setting up the PSCs.
Plenty of scope for excessive DfT/GBR micro-management of delivery contracts.

 

[Toffee Apples]

......
The TOCs will employ staff and deal with unions as now, so presumably no common staff contracts or T&Cs.

I dare say I probably got the wrong end of the stick, but I interpreted this whole new arrangement as all stations and staff to go to GBR, only train operating staff and trains to be run under the new contract arrangements?

And you say that, but the tiers of contracts desperately need overhauling. With so many incumbent TOC's consisting of contracts stemming from BR and the different phases of privatisation, there are many inequalities between those contracts (albeit, some are relatively minor, depending on outlook).

 

[ChrisHogan]

I dare say I probably got the wrong end of the stick, but I interpreted this whole new arrangement as all stations and staff to go to GBR, only train operating staff and trains to be run under the new contract arrangements?

That is my understanding as well (page 40 of the White Paper). GBR running nearly all stations removes a huge amount of bureaucracy while GBR setting most fares will do much to simplify the offer to passengers, although I expect the very cheap fares will go. Look at how London Buses is contracted and that gives a good idea how English rail services will operate.

 

[Toffee Apples]

That is my understanding as well (page 40 of the White Paper). GBR running nearly all stations removes a huge amount of bureaucracy while GBR setting most fares will do much to simplify the offer to passengers, although I expect the very cheap fares will go. Look at how London Buses is contracted and that gives a good idea how English rail services will operate.

Yes, point understood re. fares.

As a worker myself, it will be nice to see something to help bring back passenger numbers to a post covid world. Also would be nice to see myself and colleagues paid the same wage as a station ten miles down the road.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

The timescale to set up the contracts (2024) is disappointing, but no doubt dependent on getting the primary legislation through Parliament.
No hint of special arrangements for Wales or Scotland, beyond regional and local involvement in setting up the PSCs.
Plenty of scope for excessive DfT/GBR micro-management of delivery contracts.

Process to start next year though

Future PSCs will be let at regular intervals. Initially, we expect these to be released one every 6-9 months. The frequency will provide the opportunity to review the competitions as they are competed. This will enable lessons to be learnt from the process as well as accommodating continuing development of both the commercial proposition post legislation and the maturing capability of the GBR team.
The launch of the initial competition is expected by the time the emergency recovery measures agreements end in 2022 with award of the first contract expected in 2024. It is anticipated that the first PSC will be for an operation which primarily serves commuter markets.

Looks like one of the LSE TOCs will up first - SE Trains perhaps?

Then it says later

Each competition is expected to take around two years from PQQ stage through to mobilisation of the contract. However, our intent is to make this as streamlined as possible, and we will be reviewing this to see where improvements can be made as we progress through the competitions.

So releasing one every 6-9mths its going to take to nearly the end of this decade to switch over all the TOCs

 

[irish_rail]

Opportunity missed then . Having operational staff still all separated in TOCs is a shame, so much for staff being allowed to move around the country. And zero money savings with efficiencies this would have created. Oh well, shouldn't have expected anything else really!

 

[Taunton]

Punctual = setting off just as the incoming connection is arriving.

Reliable = sending out 4 cars vice 12 and reporting as running to schedule, even though nobody downroute can get in.

The measurement rubrics need to be better than just such one word statements.

 

[Class 170101]

Opportunity missed then . Having operational staff still all separated in TOCs is a shame, so much for staff being allowed to move around the country. And zero money savings with efficiencies this would have created. Oh well, shouldn't have expected anything else really!

Stops them bringing the network to a halt as per 1970s and 1980s if they are kept separate.

 

[Pete_uk]

Hope 'local' branding and liveries stay.

 

[irish_rail]

Stops them bringing the network to a halt as per 1970s and 1980s if they are kept separate.

Trouble is drivers don't really strike nowadays.its very very rare. But due to this ideology that they might decide to strike one day, we, as taxpayers are going to fund all these additional traincrew who in reality could be far fewer with some efficiency savings through amalgamation. Typical Tories I think.