الثلاثاء، 7 يناير 2020

Northern Rail

Northern (legal name Arriva Rail North Limited[1]) is a train operating company in Northern England which began operating the Northern franchise on 1 April 2016 and inherited units from the previous operator Northern Rail. A subsidiary of Arriva UK Trains, Northern is the largest train franchise in the United Kingdom in terms of the size of the network and the number of weekly services run; its trains call at 528 stations – about a quarter of all stations in the country - of these stations 476 are operated by Northern. [2]

Central to franchise commitments will be a £500 million investment in 101 new-built units – the diesel Class 195 and electric Class 331.[3] Introduced into service in July 2019,[4] these will be the first new-build trains for the Northern franchise since the introduction of the Class 333 in 2000 with further orders possible if the new units encourage passenger growth and improve passenger satisfaction.[5] The new rolling stock will enable all Pacer trains to be retired by June 2020. Additional commitments include the introduction of Class 769 bi-mode trains in March 2020, retirement of the Class 319s which are to be replaced by upgraded Class 323s by 2021 and 22 additional diesel units by 2022.[6] It is also planned that a franchise sub-brand, known as Northern Connect, will provide inter-urban services between major cities and towns in Northern England, as well as serving a number of major commuting stations.

Since the franchise began in April 2016, it has been beset by worsening punctuality,[7][8] perceived poor customer service,[9] frequent industrial action by staff,[10] and delays in introducing new rolling stock.[11] The franchise will run to 2025 with an option for an additional year which is dependent on performance.

The future of the franchise is currently being reviewed by the Department for Transport (DfT) and it is expected that the franchise in its existing legal entity will end in 2020,[12][13][14] As part of a strategy to counter poor punctuality and generate passenger growth, the franchise will either become a short-term management contract operated with a revised timetable or operated by the Operator of Last Resort (DOHL).[15][16] The franchise could also be split up into separate 'West' and 'East' franchises
History
In August 2014, the Department for Transport announced that Abellio, Arriva and Govia had been shortlisted to bid for the next Northern franchise.[18][19] The franchise was awarded to Arriva in December 2015.[20]

In May 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into the transport department's decision to award the Northern network to Arriva.[21] Arriva operated the CrossCountry franchise and owned many bus companies in the Northern trains operating area in which 'a significant overlap occurs without competition from other service providers.'[22]

Penalty fares
As part of the new Franchise Agreement agreed in 2016, the Department for Transport required the introduction of a penalty fare scheme across 60% of the Northern network by the end of 2019 and across the entire network by the end of 2022.[23][irrelevant citation] The scheme aimed to reduce ticketless travel to less than 4.3% by March 2020 and 3.2% by March 2025.[23] In April 2018, a penalty fare scheme under the Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 2018 commenced to encourage passengers to purchase a ticket before boarding trains.

As ticket machines at Northern managed stations do not accept cash, a 'Promise to Pay' notice system (similar to the Permit to Travel ticketing system) is in operation. Customers who wish to purchase a ticket at an unmanned station of origin (i.e. either a closed, or no ticket office) with cash are required to collect a 'Promise to Pay' notice prior to boarding from a ticket machine. These notices can then be exchanged with the on-board conductor or with a member of railway staff at the destination station for a paid ticket.[24] Section 6 of the Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 2018 also covers a number of scenarios that prohibit penalty fares being issued such 'no facilities in operation for the sale of a travel ticket for that passenger's journey'.[25]

May 2018 timetable recast
The franchise was widely criticised for implementing a new timetable in May 2018 which resulted in widespread delays and cancellations.[29][30] Network Rail and Northern announced an independent inquiry to learn lessons and identify route alterations in readiness for the next timetable change in December 2018.[31] In an attempt to counter operational problems, Northern implemented an emergency timetable on 4 June 2018[32] – it stemmed some delays and cancellations but was still problematic compared with performance before the timetable change.

Punctuality was particularly bad in the North West due to the delay in the Blackpool–Preston electrification scheme, and the number of trains per hour through Manchester increased, with more trains using the Ordsall Chord which became operational in December 2017. Network Rail only informed train operating companies in January 2018 that the electrification scheme would be delayed until November; Northern had planned for the scheme to be complete as scheduled by May 2018 (it had already been postponed from Autumn 2017) and had trained drivers to operate new routes with electric rolling stock. Consequently, an alternative timetable had to be drafted up, and many train drivers were not sufficiently trained to drive the existing diesel rolling stock; this resulted in widespread cancellations.[33] Furthermore, the additional services through the Manchester corridor resulted in increased congestion, and this had a knock-on effect.[34] Performance statistics published by the Office of Rail and Road in October 2018 showed that from April to June 2018, the franchise recorded the lowest PPM – measured by train service departing within 5 minutes of its scheduled time – of any quarter since punctuality records began on the Northern franchise in 2009.[35]

Performance later in 2018 continued to be poor, with many passengers protesting and a reduced service on Saturdays due to industrial action.[36][37] In October 2018 it was announced that Manchester Oxford Road station, the busiest station managed by Northern with over 8 million passengers, was the most delayed station in the United Kingdom in 2018 – this was attributed to the chaos following the May 2018 timetable.[38][39] Between 14 October and 10 November 2018, Northern recorded the worst monthly performance on record, with more trains late than on time. Less than 40% of services arrived on time (defined as services arriving within 59 seconds of the planned arrival time) and only 71.9% departed within 5 minutes of the scheduled departure time.[40]

By November 2018, Arriva were re-evaluating their future involvement in the franchise due to a combination of declining passenger numbers as a result of the chaotic May 2018 timetable change and increasing compensation claims as a result of falling punctuality.[41] Both have pushed the franchise into financial losses and face[clarification needed] a £282 million government subsidy shortfall which was due to be passed onto the franchise.[42] Since the franchise commenced in April 2016 and despite an increase of 1,500 more weekly services transferred to Northern's operational remit, Northern has achieved no growth in passenger numbers.[43] Between April and June 2018, the franchise suffered a 2.4% decline in passenger numbers compared with the previous year. Of the 22 train operating companies in the United Kingdom to record a fall in passengers, Northern were one of only three franchises to record a year-on-year drop in passenger numbers in 2017–18.[44]

Statistics published in December 2018 showed that between April 2017 and March 2018, many Northern managed stations recorded a drop in passengers – this period did not include the May 2018 timetable change or the increased Saturday strikes by conductors.[45][clarification needed] The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, also reported that the failing railways in the region was resulting in increased congestion on the roads and Metrolink system, as passengers were abandoning the rail service as it had become less reliable since May 2018.[46] To counter continuing poor performance and encourage improved punctuality, the window for which passengers can claim compensation for delayed services was reduced from 30 minutes to 15 minutes from 17 December 2018.[47]

Minor changes were implemented in the December 2018 timetable change. However Northern said they did not expect a reliable service to be implemented until the May 2019 timetable change; it was expected that by this time there would be new rolling stock in service with the Class 195 and Class 331, newly electrified lines operational which would alleviate the shortage of diesel rolling stock in the Northern fleet and most notably operational flaws with the May 2018 timetable ironed out as part of better optimised timetable in May 2019.[48]

May 2019 and new trains
In May 2019, further Northern Connect services were introduced, namely the Chester to Leeds service[49] and the revised Manchester Airport to Barrow/Windermere service, to run via Wigan North Western. They also introduced an hourly service from Hull to Scarborough, doubling the service frequency on the Bridlington–Scarborough section of the line.

However the May 2019 timetable does not include some of the improvements included in the original franchise agreement, such as a half-hourly service from Greenbank, Northwich, Knutsford and Altrincham to Stockport and Manchester; the additional Macclesfield and Poynton to Manchester and Blackpool service; or enhanced Sunday services.[50][51][52] The Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, responded that "both Northern and Network Rail feel the additional paths cannot be accommodated without adversely affecting the reliability of other services on the network".[53]

In June 2019, the Operator of Last Resort (managed by the Department for Transport) conducted due diligence into the franchise believing the both operational and financial performance to be "unsustainable".[54] The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, overtly demanded that the franchise be terminated as Northern have not delivered legally-binding franchise requirements as agreed in 2016 when the franchise commenced – citing disproportionate number of cancelled services, inability to deliver a full Sunday service due to a lack of drivers and failure to deliver new services.[55]

On 1 July 2019, the first nine units – seven Class 195 units and two Class 331 units – were introduced with a further 93 units to be introduced over the following 12 months. The initial roll-out commenced on three routes: Manchester Airport to Liverpool Lime Street and Barrow/Windermere and Leeds to Doncaster.[56]

Future
The franchise made a £21 million profit in 2016-17 and an £11.7 million profit in 2017-18 - a figure which does not include the fallout from the May 2018 timetable chaos.[57] At the start of the franchise, it was agreed that there would be a taxpayer subsidy of £275m in its first year and £260 in its third year - although Northern had received slightly more due to promised infrastructure improvements which the government had failed to deliver such as platforms 15 and 16 at Manchester Piccadilly which would have created a new path for the franchise to Manchester Airport. This subsidy was intended to fall sharply in 2020 to £221 million and by the end of the franchise in 2025 it would only receive £39 million.[58]

The fall in subsidy over the franchise is likely to push Arriva into a loss; The Times reported in summer 2019 that the Department of Transport viewed the franchise as "unsustainable" and were readying an Operator of Last Resort (OoLR) in the event the franchise collapses.[59] The government and franchisee adopted a strategy of investing in new trains to attract new passengers to gradually reduce the subsidy over a long-term period - however the franchise has struggled to increase passenger numbers, a challenge exacerbated by the fallout from the chaotic May 2018 timetable change.

It was confirmed in October 2019 that the Department of Transport were formulating a stabilisation strategy for the franchise which could entail supervising its workings whilst letting Arriva operate the day-to-day services - an arrangement akin to special measures.[60] Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, was critical of regular Sunday cancellations given Arriva had committed to legally adhere to ensuring minimum service requirements as part of the franchise agreement.[citation needed]

Following this announcement Arriva Trains UK expressed its regret and had adopted the view that 'collective system inability' had rendered the 2015 franchise agreement invalid.[61] They referenced infrastructure upgrades which were reneged upon by the Department for Transport and unworkable timetabling by Network Rail - illustrated by consistent delays on the certain routes.[61]

In November 2019, it was reported Arriva were a target of a takeover but that the Northern franchise would not be included in such a deal.[62] In the same month, Rail magazine cautioned against an Operator of Last Resort (OLR), arguing that problems ran far deeper than just Northern and OLR would not be a panacea - citing Network Rail implementing a timetable with little resilience against delays, the Department of Transport (DfT) not releasing funding for infrastructure upgrades and interfering local mayors.[63]

In January 2020, Shapps spoke again to criticise Arriva's operation of the Northern franchise and suggested that the Government may step in to revoke Arriva's franchise agreement, calling the service "completely unacceptable".[64]

Services
Main article: List of Northern (train operating company) routes
Northern took over all the services operated by Northern Rail (also branded Northern) on 1 April 2016[65] and on the same date, services between Manchester Airport and Blackpool North, Manchester Airport and Barrow in Furness and Oxenholme to Windermere from First TransPennine Express.[66]

Northern took over responsibility for all the stations managed by Northern Rail, as well as Arnside, Barrow-in-Furness, Birchwood, Burneside, Carnforth, Grange-over-Sands, Kendal, Staveley, Ulverston, Warrington Central and Windermere from First TransPennine Express.[66] Northern will staff some currently unstaffed stations. The first stations to be staffed will be Baildon and Ben Rhydding,[67] both in West Yorkshire.

Northern has committed to introducing free Wi-Fi on trains, and new ticketing options including the ability for customers to print their own tickets.[68] Arriva will provide new services across the North of England.[69]

The Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber service was due to be transferred to East Midlands Railway in August 2019 but will now not transfer until December 2019 .[66][70][71] The transfer will include Barrow Haven, Barton upon Humber, Goxhill, Great Coates, Grimsby Docks, Habrough, Healing, New Clee, New Holland, Stallingborough, Thornton Abbey and Ulceby stations.

On 1 July 2016, the business was divided into four regions, each headed up by a regional director:[72]

Central – regional director based in Manchester
East – regional director based in Leeds
North East – regional director based in Newcastle upon Tyne
West – regional director based in Preston
Table of off-peak services
Below is a list of off-peak services, per the 30 June – 14 December 2019 timetables.[73] It has been slightly simplified due to some routes' irregular service pattern. Due to the extensive nature of the network, it has been split by geographic area. Some services are listed in more than one place. Northern Connect lines are marked with their colour next to their route.

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