Making the Right Connections: Case for Centro taking ownership of West Midlands Rail Stations

BARCELONA, November 2010

Maria P Machancoses Regeneration & Planning Manager, Centro

Background• The UK Franchising process is undergoing a

radical review:– Securing better quality of services for

passengers (as users of the railway)– Delivering better value for money for taxpayers

(as funders of the railway)– Creating a more sustainable railway

• UK Coalition Government – Overarching Objectives:

– Need for private sector jobs and growth– Need to rebalance the economy– Need to decentralise government and pass

powers to the local level

• Opportunity (for PTEs) to influence future franchising arrangements

• Centro current focus: Rail Stations Ownership

Structure for the maintenance and management of rail stations is fragmented:

• Centro: 67 rail stations (63 wider area), 40m passengers/annum & 2.8% patronage increase next year....

• Rail stations are owned by Network Rail • Maintenance/renewal objectives divided by

Network Rail and the lead Train Operating Company or station facility owner

• Park and Ride sites are owned by Centro• Overall management of the stations

undertaken by the Train Operating Company

“Why?”

Passenger aspirations and values

Our Principles

• Quality Matters - Consistent Standards

• Long Term Strategic Vision• Joined up thinking - Smarter

Delivery • Fulfilling Passengers’ Needs

- Ease and Convenience • Your Local Rail Station –

Sense of Place

CONCLUSIONS

Whole Journey Experience• Make rail stations work better for passengers

and the community.• More effectively deliver our transport strategy

to meet our transport objectives including community cohesion.

• Develop/ improve multi-modal interchanges.• Develop a consistent image/branding across

the Centro network.• Increase sense of local ownership of stations.• Clarify and simplify accountabilities at

stations.