I am rarely speechless and to be lost for words twice in the same week is something I have never experienced before. The news about the Cross Country franchise just won't sink in because it is so perverse. I have tried so hard to make sense of it, I have looked at the DFT website and various other sites and I have made some interesting observations but there is nothing to make sense of this decision. I looked hard at the photo of Rail Minister Tom Harris hoping that I could communicate my thoughts to him telepathically (because they are not printable!). Suddenly I realised that he bears a stunning resemblance to Jeffrey Archer - so that adds to his credibility big style!! Actually his own track record would lead you to much the same conclusion, I wonder if he has ever seen a train.
Thinking about credibility led my thoughts to Chris Gibb MD of Cross Country Trains, and what will happen to him. I don't suppose Arriva got him when they got the franchise and he will be a big loss. It is rare in the rail industry to find someone articulate enough to present rail information clearly in the media is rare, it is even more rare to find someone articulate who's looks do not make the viewing public flee for cover. He has quite an interesting face. Most important of all he has done a good job and he has the respect and loyalty of employees.
It seems to me that the government have got this whole rail franchise thing wrong. I know people say to re-nationalise the railways, but I remember travelling to and from London in the days of BR when I was a student, it was grim to say the least. I think more of a true privatisation is the answer. With the present set up there is so much uncertainty and franchises are relatively short in the region of 9-10 years. When you account for the time to put the bids together - many months, the uncertainty and waiting time - more months, the limbo time leading up to the transfer and the induction period for the new company. That represents huge costs and something close to two years of wasted unproductive time and it can't possibly represent good customer service or good value (not to mention good sense). If you compare that with the way the government manages PFI contracts for schools, hospitals etc. the inconsistencies are obvious. They award contracts for 20 or even 30 years, to allow the provider to recoup investment via charges, lettings and provision of ancillary services. Admittedly their track record with PFI is not great, but the principle is the same. Imagine what could be achieved if much longer franchises were awarded with clear targets and a defined minimum standard. Hitting targets would trigger a financial gain for the company, but the company would only loose the franchise the minimum standards were not met. It would make so much more sense.
Anyway I have been trawling the web for reactions to the franchise announcement and I have been amazed by the support for Virgin while nobody has a good word for Arriva. Here is a selection of the comments I found and also a couple of links to other sites
perfectly sensible decision. brilliant thinking to stop virgins contract - who have invested in new stock, new facilities and have made train travel enjoyable, to replace them with manky rolling stock from the late 70's - reduce the bogs on board, take the shops off the trains, cram more people in the trains and charge more. what a brilliant move to increase the number of people choosing public transport.
i've had the arriva experience out of manchester. the decor would instil a migraine in a dead donkey. the trolley service was awful and the train was packed solid after 2 stops.
looks like i'll keep driving my land rover - it might be old and a bit frayed, but it's more reliable and cheaper than the trains
If Arriva run trains like they run buses in Bristol and other close locations then, Virgin will be back next time.
Arriva should never have been let near another railway company after the mess they made of running services in the North of England a few years back.
Living in exeter i have used this route frequently for years and virgin have put on one of the best train services in the country, and one of the best i have lived under... This entire decision seems completely and utterly idiotic.. Virgin have had clean trains, great staff, tolerable buffet and pretty good ticket prices if you can find the deals..
Arriva on the other hand I had the joy of living in wales and suffering there intolerable service for a while and never again... Guess flybe have just picked up a new air traveller...
That Arriva probably the worst of existing rail franchise operators wins the Cross Country franchise is yet another farcicle decision from the most farcical of governmental organisation the D(a)fT who come out of the swamp every so often to destroy yet another aspect of a steadily deteriorating rail service. They took over from the SRA and make a declaration ask for comments, ignore the customer comments and sink back into the swamp. only to rise again and tell everyone that their original proposal is the one they will go forward with. They then ask for bids, but D(a)fT do not tell us what the rival bids were so how are we to know we are getting good (best) value, D(a)fT are judge and jury in their own case. They have defined the franchise and ignore public concerns about it. Then when it goes bottom up they hide back in the civil service anonymity swamp.
http://forums.atomic-systems.com/viewtopic.php?p=848254&CUTHERE=6c95174ecf3fd7ba881463c7cacabdd2
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1078142007
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