AWC ultimatum after DfT awards six-month extension
THE Department for Transport has awarded Avanti West Coast a 22-week contract extension, during which it is expected to “drastically improve services”.
Making her first major decision as Secretary of State for Transport, Anne-Marie Trevelyan has challenged AWC to “deliver the urgent increase in services required”, after describing its performance as “unacceptable”.
“This window is designed to provide AWC with the opportunity to improve its services,” said the DfT.
“The Government will then consider AWC’s performance while finalising a National Rail Contract that will have a renewed focus on resilience of train services and continuity for passengers.”
Announced on October 7, nine days before the existing Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement (ERMA) expired on October 16, the contract extension runs until March 31 2023 (two and a half weeks shy of six months) under “broadly the same terms and conditions”.
The ERMA extension was the only practical option left open to Trevelyan, despite calls from politicians to bring the service under direct DfT control using its ‘Operator of Last Resort’ (RAIL 966).
Sources suggest this was unattractive, mainly because it would not solve the underlying industrial relations issue and driver shortage which caused the service to collapse.
After weeks of growing numbers of short-notice cancellations, AWC started a heavily reduced emergency timetable on August 14 (RAIL 964). A recovery plan with up to ten additional daily trains started on September 27, and is promised to increase further in “mid-December” (RAIL 967).
Trevelyan said: “Services have been unacceptable, and while AWC has taken positive steps to get more trains moving, it must do more to deliver certainty of service to its passengers.
“We have agreed this extension
to assess whether it is capable of running this crucial route to a standard passengers deserve and expect.”
She also took aim at AWC’s management (appearing to side with drivers’ union ASLEF, which has accused AWC of not employing sufficient drivers, RAIL 963), saying that its problems “stem from old working practices that mean shifts are often covered by existing drivers volunteering to work above their 35 contracted hours.
“This antiquated practice shows just how urgent it is for us to modernise our railways, so passengers benefit from reliable services that don’t rely on the goodwill of drivers volunteering to work overtime.”
The DfT said: “Nearly 100 additional drivers will have entered formal service this year between April and December. This has meant the company has begun to add more services as new drivers and those who need re-training become available to work. It has also added extra trains on its key London-Manchester and LondonBirmingham routes, bringing service levels closer to normal running.”
In a short statement, FirstGroup Chief Executive Officer Graham Sutherland said: “Today’s agreement allows our team at AWC to sustain their focus on delivering their robust plan to restore services to the levels that passengers rightly expect.”
AWC said: “Discussions are ongoing with the DfT regarding a longer-term National Rail Contract.”
AWC’s service improvement plan includes:
■ The delivery of its timetable recovery plan and a “significant, sustained and reliable increase” from 180 trains per day to 264 trains per day on weekdays, as new and retrained drivers become available.
■ Continuing to deliver its train crew recruitment and plans to reduce reliance on rest days.
■ Extending booking options, making the full range of tickets available as early as possible.
Transport for the North Chairman Lord Patrick McLoughlin said: “Our members are naturally disappointed, as it is communities and businesses across the North that are being affected by this sub-par level of service that is undermining economic growth.
“Returning to a good, reliable service on the West Coast Main Line is a pro-growth policy that will benefit the north of England’s economy, and should be a priority as the current level of service is just not acceptable.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “The thought of another six months of what we’re currently experiencing is a huge concern,” although he conceded: “Putting AWC on notice marks a significant shift in tone under the new Secretary of State. At last, there is a clear recognition of the crisis engulfing the country’s most important railway line and the management failure that has led to that.”
Rail union TSSA, one of three in dispute with AWC, described the ERMA extension as “rewarding failure” and a “missed opportunity” to bring the service into public ownership.
■ AWC’s first bi-mode Hitachi IEP train (805001), earmarked to replace its Class 221 Voyagers, went to Network Rail’s Rail Innovation & Development Centres (RIDC) at Melton Mowbray on October 7 to start its dynamic testing.
It focuses on noise tests, as the fleet of 13 five-car trains has a new lower-emissions engine compared with the previous ‘80x’ fleet. It should be joined by a second set in November, to test a ten-car formation, before one heads to Wolverhampton Oxley for main line testing.
Meanwhile, the latest Pendolino to enter service after refurbishment at Alstom Widnes (390103) has been replaced by 390115, the 14th in the programme.