UK GETS COMPETITIVE

UK rail offers nothing as fresh as Izy and Ouigo, but what our privatised train firms do provide is simple competition on a number of routes. They provide more choice and usually keener fares, although they do not offer the same service frequency as the incumbents.

On the East Coast Mainline (ECML), “open access” firms Grand Central and Hull Trains compete with incumbent Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) out of London King’s Cross, while between London Euston and up the West Coast Mainline as far north as Crewe, London Midland offers an alternative to Virgin Trains.

Over the voluminous London-Birmingham trip, there is Chiltern Railways from Marylebone providing an alternative to the Virgin Trains service from Euston. Besides its regular “outer suburban” trainsets, Chiltern has invested in former British Rail long-distance rolling stock to woo business people.

These “silver trains” operate a number of services throughout the day, offer faster timings and come complete with a business zone (available for a supplement of £25 peak, £10 off-peak).

Another new service recently approved will allow First Group to compete with VTEC over the busy London to Edinburgh route. First Group will operate five daily trains in each direction between the English and Scottish capitals. The service, which will not commence until 2021, will be a budget one with seats costing about £25, and will suit some air passengers currently using Luton and Stansted.

The news hasn’t gone down well with VTEC, as it’s obliged to pay the government a franchise fee of £3.3 billion over the coming years, whereas First Group (an “open access” operator) escapes paying such fees.