Franchising could incorporate rail/bus integration
Assuming that there is general paralysis in Government for the present, with no movement on big projects, perhaps this could be a good time to press for a modest change in the specification for rail franchises.
People of all political persuasions have doubts about the current situation, where there appears to be a built-in advantage for state rail systems from other countries. Perhaps the following idea could help give British commercial transport operators - all originally bus groups - a helping hand.
My proposal is to widen the specification for each franchise, to include the provision of fast bus (let us call them ‘coach’) services to offer journey opportunities where there is (and often can be) no realistic rail provision.
For example, in my own ‘South Eastern’ area, the towns of Westerham, Tenterden, Cranbrook, Hawhurst and New Romney have no rail stations (apart from heritage lines). And the towns of Ashford and Faversham, both well served by excellent fast trains to London, have only a slow and infrequent bus link between them.
The new services I propose would have to be:
‘Rail quality’ - stopping only at principal locations, with rail-style penalties for late running. Drivers would not take fares, seats would be bookable (so not free to bus pass holders), railcards would be valid, and staff at rail stations would be able to give information and answer queries as with trains.
Good-quality shelters and real-time information at stops, and same frequencies as other local rail services (two and often four services per hour, and good evening/Sunday services).
Integrated with the rail system in respect of: location (stops as near as physically possible to station entrance or platforms); timetable (reliable connections without excessive waiting); ticketing (the new stops reachable by bus would be incorporated in the rail ticket database); passenger info and publicity.
As far as possible, longerdistance links rather than simple two-stop feeders - for example, covering the whole of the A25 road and all towns between Borough Green and Redhill.
It seems to me that this would have at least three great benefits, both to the nation and to individual travellers.
Firstly, it would give very many people who are currently left off the rail map a vastly better public transport offer. Many of us have good access to London, but hopeless transport opportunities to nearby towns that are not on a direct line from London.
Secondly, it would give the ‘bus bandits’ a better starting position when bidding for franchises. They have (or should have) the experience and physical assets to set up the new coach services.
Thirdly, it would give these operators some experience of operating truly integrated transport. It is scandalous that since the takeover of rail franchises by the big bus companies they have made little attempt to co-ordinate even their own buses and trains. When National Express talked about ‘making travel easier’, did it even think of running its own coaches to connect (for example) Ripon and Richmond with its East Coast rail services?
In addition, the franchisees - and the DfT - might well find that by providing reliable coach-rail connections, they turn on a tap which produces greater use of the existing rail system than they had thought possible. It might well make a significant contribution to cutting down local road congestion. And it would give some kind of an answer to the Wolmar question of ‘what are franchises for’? One purpose of franchises is to give British commercial bus companies an incentive to run a proper integrated public transport service.
While my idea might raise the spectre of bustitution of current rail services, I consider that the current realities make this highly unlikely. Trains are inherently faster, more reliable and more comfortable, and are very popular.