CrossCountry franchise

Longer trains and major changes in service patterns on the CrossCountry franchise are being suggested by the Government, in its public consultation released on June 7.

The franchise is due to be renewed towards the end of 2019, and the consultation follows an earlier exercise examining potential future timetables.

Among the ideas suggested are transferring local services such as those between Birmingham and Leicester/Nottingham to other operators, and curtailing or diverting one of the current CrossCountry trains serving Newcastle further south (for example, to Leeds or Doncaster) to help alleviate capacity constraints on the northern section of the East Coast Main Line.

At one extremity of the network, the Department for Transport (DfT) suggests that Great Western Railway’s twice-hourly service between Plymouth and Penzance from December 2018 could be covered by GWR operating trains earlier and later. From Torbay, the DfT argues that a “marginal reduction” from Torbay could then allow a half-hourly northbound CrossCountry service from Exeter to connect into the PlymouthPenzance service.

From Edinburgh to Aberdeen, the DfT says it “may be possible” to reach agreement with Transport Scotland to provide alternative services.

DfT is also asking respondents whether changes to CrossCountry services between Southampton and Bournemouth, Cardiff and Bristol Temple Meads and those serving Guildford and Bath would be acceptable if a similar or improved service was offered by another operator.

It is also asking whether franchise bidders should have the flexibility to change calling patterns of trains if it enabled journey time accelerations, and whether the current pattern of services and station calls should be fixed. And to cater for high levels of overcrowding in some areas, the DfT wants views on how longer trains could be introduced - either by cascading from elsewhere or leasing new trains.

Respondents are also asked for their views on improvements to regional and local trains operated by CrossCountry, and for longdistance fleets, as well as how the ‘churn’ of passengers alighting and boarding at some stations can be alleviated.

The DfT says it wants the future operator to work in greater partnership with Network Rail across the routes that XC traverses, and for engagement with passengers, devolved bodies and stakeholders.

The consultation closes on August 30.