2003-07-11 Three year South West Trains deal signed (Strategic Rail Authority)

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date 22 December 2003
source Strategic Rail Authority
type Press release

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) today announced that it has selected
National Express Group PLC as Preferred Bidder for the new Greater Anglia
franchise.

The new franchise will combine Anglia, Great Eastern, and West Anglia
rail services from April 2004.

This is the first franchise to be awarded under the SRA's new policy,
which sets clearer requirements for the services to be delivered to
passengers.

The franchise will run from April 2004 for seven years, with specified
performance targets and an additional three years if they are met.
The announcement follows a rigorous competition. Subject to its requirements
being met, the SRA will sign an agreement with National Express Group PLC
in the New Year at which point further details of the new franchise will be
announced.

Nicola Shaw, SRA Managing Director, Operations, said:

"We said at the beginning of the year that we would select a new operator by
the end of the year and we have. This is the first contract to be awarded under
the new SRA franchising policy. The contract will deliver certainty for
passengers, clarity for operators, and stability for investors. Benefits for
passengers will include better information, security and cleanliness. This deal
should also bring about an overall improvement in punctuality, newer rolling
stock and additional benefits including improvements at stations."

Notes to Editors

1. On the 1 April 2003 the SRA announced that three parties had qualified
as bidders - Arriva Trains Ltd, GB Railways Plc and National Express
Group PLC.
2. All three current franchises (Anglia Railways, First Great Eastern and
West Anglia) are due to expire on 31 March 2004. The SRA has also
previously announced its intention to extend, for two years, the
franchise for Great Northern services, which are currently part of the
WAGN franchise.
3. The new franchise will operate all the regular services out of London
Liverpool Street including Stansted Express, as well as local services
within East Anglia. It will be the first to result from the SRA's policy of
one operator for each major London terminal.
4. The SRA's new franchising policy for the passenger rail industry was
announced in November 2002. The new franchise policy provides train
companies with clear guidelines and incentives on customer service
and on business priorities such as containing short and long-term
costs. It incorporates rewards and penalties for key indicators like train
and station cleanliness, security and passenger information.
5. The SRA also made announcements today: on the Thames Trains
Franchise; confirming the bidders for the Integrated Kent Franchise
and confirming that it is proceeding with plans for domestic services for
Kent on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL).

Railhub Archive ::: 2003-12-22 SRA-001