A franchise with growth potential

Northern Managing Director DAVID BROWN tells JEANETTE BOWDEN that new trains, more services and better connectivity are key elements of the operator’s plans to improve the customer experience

David Brown has led Arriva’s Northern franchise only since September 2017, but he is an old hand at understanding the need for much-improved connectivity across the North.

That’s because his previous role was chief executive at Transport for the North ( TfN) - the newly empowered sub-national transport body that co-manages both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises with the Department for Transport.

This has handed him a uniquely rounded perspective of both the wider role that rail can play in boosting the regional economy and quality of life in the North, and the necessary outputs that are required from the two aforementioned franchisees.

He tells RAIL: “If we step back to when the franchise was being discussed (prior to its commencement in April 2016), Rail North [which became integrated with TfN on April 1] came together as an organisation representing local authorities and businesses in the North to demonstrate the economic value of improved rail services.

“The new Northern franchise is therefore all about growth, and we’re providing more services to take passengers to places they want to go to and at times they want to get there. It’s about modernising trains, buying new trains, and phasing out the unpopular Pacers, while also investing in stations and alternative ticketing.”

By 2020, Northern will have increased capacity by 40% across its network, creating space for 31,000 extra passengers travelling to and from the region’s five key commuter cities during peak times. There will also be 2,000 extra services each week, with around 400 additional Sunday services.

And with major timetable uplifts planned for December 2018, and then during 2019 and 2020, Brown is keen to highlight how much has already been achieved since April 2016.

Frequency has doubled to half-hourly services between Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester, as well as between Knaresborough, Harrogate and Leeds.

Hourly services are now operating between Manchester Victoria and Oxford Road via the new £ 85 million Ordsall Chord that opened in December, as well as between Preston and Colne, Bradford and Ilkley, and Bradford and Skipton.

And additional Sunday services are now being offered to places including Bishop Auckland and Whitby, and between Lincoln and Sheffield.

Further service improvements had been scheduled for May 2018, but they have been pushed back following Network Rail’s announcement in January that completion of Manchester-Preston electrification has been further delayed.

Brown adds: “We know there is a market and latent demand, but our service hasn’t previously been adequate to cope with it. The timetable has continued to reflect lifestyles