No decisions yet on XC franchise

No commitment has been made to extend CrossCountry’s franchise beyond next October.

Rail Minister Andrew Jones, responding to Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald in a Commons Written Reply on November 15, said the current XC deal was due to end in October 2019 with an option to extend it for a year.

“We are currently reviewing options for the CrossCountry franchise and are therefore unable to make any comment as to what and when any decisions will be made,” he told McDonald.

Run by Arriva since November 2007, DfT cancelled a competition to find a new XC operator after it launched the Williams Review ( RAIL 862).

The Government had issued a tender notice possibly extending the deal until 2024.