Doubts cast over future of Southeastern, c2c and XC
THE Southeastern franchise could yet follow LNER and Northern in being run by the Department for Transport’s Operator of Last Resort, the Government has suggested.
Govia has operated the current Southeastern franchise since
April 1 2006. It is due to end on March 31, having been extended three times. Initially it was due to finish in March 2014, but this was extended to June 2018. Government then extended it again while also cancelling bidding for the new franchise in August last year.
In a Commons Written Reply on February 6, Rail Minister
Chris Heaton-Harris told Sir
David Evennett (Conservative, Bexleyheath and Crayford), who had asked about a timetable for the new SE franchise: “Following the decision to cancel the Southeastern franchise competition, the Department is developing a solution to deliver benefits to passengers as quickly as possible.
“In the immediate term, the Department is considering the most appropriate route to contract the franchise after April 1 2020. This could be in the form of either another Direct Award with the incumbent operator, or the transfer of the franchise to the Operator of Last Resort. A decision that puts passengers’ interests first will be made in March.”
The financial viability of c2c has also been raised in the national press, with passenger numbers thought to have been affected by the impact of Brexit on the City of London, where many of c2c’s commuters work.
Responding to this, a DfT spokesman told RAIL: “The Department for Transport closely monitors all train operators. We do not speculate on the financial health of any particular franchise but expect all franchises to meet their contractual commitments.”
Questions are also being asked around the future of CrossCountry - bidding for the existing franchise was cancelled when the Williams Review was announced in September 2018.
Regarding CrossCountry, Heaton-Harris told Luke Pollard (Labour, Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) in a Commons
Written Reply on February 4:
“The Department is currently considering options for successor franchise arrangements when the existing contract ends in October 2020. We expect an announcement later this year.”
Three days later, also in a Commons Written Reply, HeatonHarris told Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald:
“The Department is considering options for the next CrossCountry franchise. One such option is the issue of a further Direct Award to Arriva, subject to contract and successful negotiation. A further announcement is expected later this year.”
Sources have told RAIL it’s expected that Arriva will receive an extension for at least two years. Last year, Government issued a tender notice whereby XC could continue for a further five years.
There has been no update on the Great Western Railway franchise, operated by FirstGroup, and which is due to end on March 31 this year. It’s expected that this will receive a Direct Award, although Operator of Last Resort staff are assessing the operator. However, this is a standard procedure that takes place in the final six months of any operator.