Hugh ChaplainTransport for Greater Manchester/ Rail North

Thursday 6th November 2014

Rail North

1) Background on Rail North

2) Rail North Long Term Rail Strategy

3) Partnership with Department for Transport

4)Refranchising of Northern and TransPennine

5) Current Activity

Rail North

• Rail North was created in 2011/12 and represents all 30 Local Transport Authorities in the North of England.

• Rail North is working to devolve decision making for railways in the North of England to the North of England.

• Aim is to create a world class railway for the whole of the North of England, recognised by passengers and businesses as serving their needs, that supports economic growth and is both more effective and more efficient.

• In particular, supporting the economic aspirations of the north of England is a prime objective of Rail North.

Rail North Geography

Strategy developed by North of England partners including local authorities, LEPs, businesses and others – takes a20 year view and covers passenger and freight activities.The overall vision is for the railways in the North to be recognised as being a positive feature of living and working in the North, playing a central role in supporting the growth and regeneration of the North’s economy.

Draft Long Term Rail StrategyPublished by Rail North in July 2013

• Public Consultation carried out during 2013.

• Around 100 responses – main themes included articulation of vision, quality of rolling stock, need for improved infrastructure, community rail, and opening new railway lines.

• Final version to be approved by Rail North leaders during 2014.

Draft Long Term Rail Strategy

Four key themes emerged from the draft Long Term Rail Strategy:

1. ConnectivityBetter connectivity, with targeted improvements to journey times, service frequencies and improved connections to make end-to-end journey times quicker.

2. CoherenceA more coherent and user-friendly network: a network with the visible coherence of the London Underground delivered over the North’s wide geography. This needs defined categories of train services as well as planning the North’s many routes to operate together as a single whole with a single simplified fares structure.

Key themes of the Strategy

3. CapacityIncreased capacity, both on train so that passengers do not experience excessive overcrowding and on track so additional demand for economically worthwhile passenger and freight movements can be accommodated.

4. Cost effectivenessAs use of the North’s rail services grows, running costs per passenger and tonne of freight carried need to fall. The key to achieving this is investment.

Key themes of the Strategy (cont.)

Partnership Agreement

• A partnership agreement between Rail North and DfT was announced on 24 January 2014 and a model is now under development.

• Details of the partnership were presented to a meeting of the Secretary of State, Patrick McLoughlin and the leaders of all LTAs represented by Rail North, in Manchester.

• The arrangements will be based on the successor Northern and TransPennine Express franchises, from February 2016, with DfT running the procurement processes to a common timetable.

• The approach builds on Rail North's Long Term Rail Strategy, the proposition and business case, and work on a structure for decision-making in the North.

Partnership Agreement - Principles

The agreed partnership principles include:

•Collaborative design of franchises between Rail North and DfT, recognising the Secretary of State’s responsibilities including securing affordability and value for money.

•Arrangements for a single integrated partnership structure to manage the franchises.

•The development of formal inclusive decision-making structures in the North that will inform and set the future direction for rail service development in the North.

• Under the Partnership arrangements Rail North is working closely with DfT to develop the specification for the next franchises and is represented on all DfT internal working groups for both Northern and TransPennine.

• DfT published a pre-qualification questionnaire for bidders on 6 June 2014.• Shortlisted bidders were announced in August.• A public consultation document was published on 9 June 2014. This set out

the main opportunities and challenges for the franchises and sought views on areas of specification and possible options for change.

• The consultation was a joint exercise between DfT and Rail North.• Consultation closed on 18 August and responses are informing the

Invitation to Tender for shortlisted bidders.

Refranchising of Northern and TransPennine

Current Key Activity• Rail North Governance – Local Authorities working to develop and finalise

their decision making structures.• Partnership Governance – Arrangements being developed between DfT

and Rail North in relation to managing the franchises once they are let.• MOU signed by Secretary of State and Rail North Leaders.• Rolling Stock – The average age of rolling stock used on the current

Northern franchise is over 24 years, with few trains under 20 years old. • Needs to improve but this is expensive. • Rail North looking at alternative procurement and financing mechanisms

for rolling stock for both franchises, focusing on identifying options which may enable new and/or refurbished rolling stock to be provided at lower cost than under current arrangements.