The next West Midlands franchise

[Tony]

While everyone was getting excited today about Northern Rail & Trans-Pennine the DfT issued a third press release which was the prospectus for the next West Midlands Franchise

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/483213/west-midlands-prospectus.pdf

[andy41]

So basically any Centro/WMR devolution is shelved until after another 7 - 9 year franchise possibly taking us up to 2026. Just in time for HS2. This makes more sense than trying to rush it through now only for everything to change again.

Question is will Govia qualify to bid seeing as they already now have 5 other franchises running into London on top of this one? Word from the DfT is that they are actually struggling to generate credible bidders at the moment following Osborne's spending review and significant cuts to DfT expenditure.

[Stuharris 6360]

My question is why is it called The West Midland Franchise when London & Liverpool are included?

[BK63 YWP]

Maybe First or stagecoach might get the Midlands franchise. I wonder after nx exit from east coast trains would the government let them have another chance running a franchise?

[Tony]

Maybe First or stagecoach might get the Midlands franchise. I wonder after nx exit from east coast trains would the government let them have another chance running a franchise?

NX have already won one franchise since than and pre-qualified for three others, so I think we know the answer to your question

[Stuharris 6360]

NX have already won one franchise since than and pre-qualified for three others, so I think we know the answer to your question

More to the point, would NX want it?

[Liberator9]

Will be interesting if Govia retain it or not - in a way I hope they do - been very satified with the service on the Snow Hill line - rarely had problems and had the 150s replaced with a modern fleet of 172s, upgrading the quality of the service. Also on a less serious note would be a shame to see the end of the livery  ;D Always thought one idea in the future would be to have a differentiation of the colours in the future - perhaps blue instead of green for the West Mids locals and Green kept for the WCML services; if there's going to be a start towards seperating the two.

[Roy]

The consultation document for the new franchise is now available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486503/west-midlands-rail-franchise.pdf

[Roy]

The public consultation roadshow dates have been announced.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/488210/Public_events_for_the_West_Midlands_franchise_consultation.pdf

[Tony]

Shortlist announced

http://www.globalrailnews.com/2016/04/07/japanese-rail-operator-included-on-shortlist-for-west-midlands-franchise/

[BK63 YWP]

Oooo Japanese partnership with Abellio, would that be the first Japanese company in the rail franchises?

[Bob]

Pity there's no public sector one! They couldn't do anything worse than the utter crap that is London midland! Chase line trains missing trips out regularly...people got left behind at Walsall yesterday because the 16.12 didn't run from Birmingham and the 16.42 was a ridiculously inadequate two coach set that was dangerously overcrowded.  People pay for season tickets for this?....

[Tony]

Pity there's no public sector one! They couldn't do anything worse than the utter crap that is London midland! Chase line trains missing trips out regularly...people got left behind at Walsall yesterday because the 16.12 didn't run from Birmingham and the 16.42 was a ridiculously inadequate two coach set that was dangerously overcrowded.  People pay for season tickets for this?....

The 16:12 didn't run because moronic passengers attacked the driver assaulting him on his previous journey on another line, somehow I doubt whether whoever was running the service it would have made any difference to that

[Cheese]

Shortlist announced

http://www.globalrailnews.com/2016/04/07/japanese-rail-operator-included-on-shortlist-for-west-midlands-franchise/

Having met with two of the three shortlisted bidders yesterday, some very good people working on the bids so reasonably confident it will be better (within the boundaries of available resources) than the current LM franchise.

[Bob]

Still a pretty poor service with two car units at busy times. There's ben loads of complaints about how bad it is. Even the bloody MP got involved although I suspect that was for publicity.  She loves a good photo shoot. "I must insist electric trains are used once the line is electrified "...Erm yea 1. Why wouldn't they be & 2. What's she gonna do if they aren't lol