Aberdeen-based transport giant FirstGroup is lining up a bid for the East Coast rail franchise as the UK Government steams ahead with controversial plans to re-privatise the route.
Just what will be required of the company running the London-Aberdeen and Inverness line was outlined yesterday as Westminster officially launched the search for a new operator.
The line has been run under the control of the Department for Transport (DfT) since National Express pulled out in November 2009.
Labour has bitterly opposed the re-privatisation because East Coast has returned large amounts of money to the Treasury since it has been in the public sector.
And unions claim the selloff will see third-class tickets brought back to UK lines for the first time in 50 years.
But yesterday the DfT promised passengers “innovative timetables” and a better travelling experience
The new operator of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) – which is currently being run in the public sector – will also have to demonstrate how it will support economic growth on the London-Scotland route.
The InterCity East Coast prospectus yesterday announced details that potential bidders will need to consider when they start developing their proposals next year. These include:
Developing innovative timetables that build on the core train service requirement published by the DfT.
Investment in innovative ways to transform the customer experience on trains and at stations.
Identifying further opportunities for investment along the route, particularly at stations.
Channel Tunnel high-speed train company Eurostar has said it wants to bid for the East Coast franchise in partnership with French company Keolis, which already runs a number of UK domestic lines.
And last night First said it “anticipated” bidding for the franchise.
“As with all prospective contracts, we will take time to study the detail of the competition,” a spokesman said.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “We want to see a revitalised East Coast railway, one that both rekindles the spirit of competition for customers on this great route to Scotland and competes with the West Coast on speed, quality and customer service.
“We need a strong partner to ensure we successfully deliver the £240million programme of infrastructure investments on the route and the improvements in rolling stock that the multibillion Intercity Express programme will provide.”
The government said yesterday that running the line in the public sector had never been planned to be a permanent arrangement.
The new operator will be expected to capitalise on government investment in this route over the next six years, including replacement of the current rolling stock and major infrastructure improvements such as the £72million programme to improve the line.
In the prospectus, presented in a glossy, 48-page brochure, the government said that despite the economic challenges over the past three years, passenger revenue on the publicly run line had grown by 11% between 2009 and 2010 and 2012 and 2013, and journey numbers had increased from 18.1million in 2009-10 to 19.1million in 2012-13.
The brochure went on: “This growth is reflected in the £620million which has been returned to the UK Government in premium payments during DOR’s (Directly Operated Railways’) tenure to March 31, 2013.”
The DfT plans to confirm which prospective bidders have passed the pre-qualification stage in January.
The department expects to issue the invitation to tender in February.
Shortlisted bidders will then have three months to prepare bids, with franchise services starting in February 2015.