CrossCountry Future Timetable Consultation

Transcription

1 CrossCountry Future Timetable Consultation 1

2 Contents 1. Executive Summary Introduction Future Timetable Concept Introduction Passenger requirements How our timetable concept seeks to meet this requirement Timetable optimisation improvements to the to Airport route: improvements to/from Exeter: improvements to the South Coast s: improvements to Aberdeen s: Crowding and future impact on demand improvements to the Bristol area: improvements to the Yorkshire s: Rolling stock and resources Weekend Ensuring train s meet the needs of the areas and passengers they serve How to respond Next Steps Appendicies Appendix A: The Current Franchise Appendix B: Full list of consultation Questions Appendix C: Summary of CrossCountry s proposed train changes

3 1. Executive Summary This document sets out our vision for shaping CrossCountry s passenger s to meet today s demand and customer expectations by making more effective use of the franchise s existing assets and those made available through the recent contract award. The current CrossCountry timetable was established in Demand for rail travel has increased significantly since then, with journeys on CrossCountry increasing from 32 million per year at the start of the franchise to 37 million journeys during To address these changes, we have chosen to look at the December 2017 timetable as an opportunity to transition CrossCountry s s to better meet today s customer s needs. To achieve this transition, we propose to address some areas where we currently experience crowding in CrossCountry patterns that have emerged since These are principally where growth has outstripped the available level of capacity. CrossCountry have developed an operational concept which seeks to: Add 980,000 additional across the network each year across CrossCountry s, by optimising use of the current fleet to meet today s demand Seat 250,000 passengers who currently have to stand This is achieved by providing more on s into or out of major cities: 1300 extra per day into/out of Leeds 1800 extra per day into/out of New Street 1000 extra per day into/out of Bristol 1200 extra per day into/out of Derby 600 extra per day into/out of Newcastle 400 extra per day into/out of Reading 300 extra per day into/out of 300 extra per day into/out of The changes provide extra capacity onto eight of the top ten most crowded journey legs on the CrossCountry Network (see Table A) While we are confident that the plans outlined will be welcomed by both customers and other stakeholders, as it responds to feedback and requests from both sources- we are making these public to ensure the people who use our s; the individuals and groups that represent or promote rail use; the officers and organisations that deliver transport policies and secure regional regeneration; and the elected officials whose constituents would benefit, all have an opportunity to share their views on these changes to s. We hope you will take the time to respond to the questions set out in this document and to support the enhancements we plan to deliver, which will enhance the we provide to the communities we serve, the economies we help to grow and, most importantly, our customers. 3

4 2. Introduction This consultation document has been prepared by CrossCountry and seeks views from stakeholders on the development of a timetable change for CrossCountry s train s in Consultation will commence for eight weeks from Monday 7 November The closing date for consultation responses is 1700 on Sunday 2 January The purpose of the consultation is to: Set out the objectives for the December 2017 timetables and the issues which have determined these objectives Inform stakeholders about the operational concepts which are under development for the December 2017 timetables and the benefits which will arise Understand stakeholder views, expectations and reactions relevant to these operational concepts, qualitatively and quantitatively through responses to specific questions, Provide stakeholders with background information about current CrossCountry s, timetables and available resources to enable informed responses to questions For more information on the CrossCountry franchise, please see Appendix A. This contains details of existing s with current seating capacity and the improvements achieved through these plans. Location of consultation questions: Consultation questions can be found in Section 3 of this document. A full list of consultation questions can also be found in Appendix B. Once the consultation has concluded, we will collate all responses and prepare a report for the Department for Transport. Regrettably we will be unable to provide responses to individual representations during this consultation. Four weeks after the conclusion of the consultation period, we plan to provide a response to the consultation, which will be made available on request through the address detailed in Section 4. 4

5 3. Future Timetable Concept 3.1 Introduction Our objective is to: Improve the experience for CrossCountry passengers by providing 250,000 for passengers that otherwise would be standing. Continue to provide and improve the economic value of CrossCountry to the UK economy and taxpayer. Ensure that the CrossCountry matches demand and supply in the best way possible given the resources available. Develop an operationally robust timetable which continues to offer a reliable and punctual train 3.2 Passenger requirements Our passengers requirements are varied and complex, and can be broadly categorised into station and train requirements. The train requirements include those factors outlined below, which influence the journey and hence are important considerations for this. Ability to get a seat throughout their journey More journey choices through improved frequency Improved journey times between towns and cities Improved connections between trains and so more journey opportunities Earlier first trains of the day to improve journey opportunities Later last trains of the day to improve journey opportunities More punctual and reliable s by operating a performance robust timetable Ensuring consistency of train provision Providing s at times which meet passenger needs Improved train provision at weekends to reflect changes in passenger demand 3.3 How our timetable concept seeks to meet this requirement This timetable concept represents CrossCountry s objective to develop passenger s to reflect current demand, stakeholder aspirations and optimise the use of available resources; delivering the following key outputs, advantages and changes including: 980,000 additional across the network each year across CrossCountry s, through optimising use of the current fleet to meet today s demand 250,000 passengers who currently have to stand will get a seat This is addressed by including more in or out of major cities: 1300 extra per day into/out of Leeds 1800 extra per day into/out of New Street 1000 extra per day into/out of Bristol 5

6 1200 extra per day into/out of Derby 600 extra per day into/out of Newcastle 400 extra per day into/out of Reading 300 extra per day into/out of 300 extra per day into/out of Providing extra capacity to eight of the top ten most crowded journey legs on the CrossCountry Network (see Table A) Table A From To solution Sheffield Wakefield Westgate Leeds-Sheffield extra peak time s offering greater choice of and more at peak times An extra 1,300 per day Increased use of high capacity trains at those times where they are needed Bristol Temple Meads Bristol Temple Meads Taunton Cheltenham Spa An extra 1,400 per day Extension of -Bristol s to Exeter St offering greater choice s and more at peak times Increased use of high capacity trains at those times where they are needed An extra 900 per day Increased use of high capacity trains at those times where they are needed Derby An extra 1,200 per day Increased use of high capacity trains at peak times Reading Oxford An extra 400 per day enabled by use of an additional Voyager train Wolverhampton An extra 300 per day An extra 300 per day Ely Cambridge An extra 400 per day. Note that work is still progressing to resolve the crowding issue regarding the 17:27 Airport to New St. This would be achieved through initiatives to make best use of existing resources and aligning timetables to current demand patterns, including: The provision of a to and from Aberdeen in the early afternoon to provide a better spread of through s between the Midlands, North East England, Fife, Dundee and Aberdeen across the day between operators, Providing of extra capacity each day on the busy Plymouth corridor through more intensive use of our highest capacity trains (Appendix C), Extending CrossCountry s from the North West which currently terminate at Bristol to continue to Exeter to provide 2 trains each hour on the to Exeter 6

7 corridor and increase connectivity between North West England, the West Midlands, Bristol and Devon and Cornwall (Appendix C) Providing an extra Leeds to Sheffield fast in the morning and evening peaks, offering additional seating capacity and alternative travel options to customers, An extra peak time between Cambridge and To enable these capacity improvements on busy trains, some decrements to current patterns will be necessary, where demand is comparatively light and alternative journey solutions or s are available, for example: Bath Spa: Current weekday provided 06:09 Bath Spa to Glasgow Central (SX) weekday 06:30 Bristol Temple Meads to Glasgow Central Alternative s Background Passengers from Bath Spa to use alternative GWR s between Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads at 06:28. Service lightly used (average loads of 28 on that journey leg) Commencement at Bristol Temple Meads allows consistency with Saturday schedule Guildford: Current provided 06:02 Guildford to Newcastle (SX) weekday 06:45 Reading to Newcastle (SX) Alternative s Background Passengers from Guildford to use alternative GWR s between Guildford and Reading at 06:13. Service lightly used (average loads of 29 on that journey leg ) Majority of passengers who use the commute between Guildford and Reading. Service also currently has long dwell times at Reading. 13:35 Newcastle to Guildford (SX) 13:35 Newcastle to Reading (SX) Passengers for Guildford to use alternative GWR s between Reading and Guildford at 18:02 or 18:32. Service lightly used (average loads of 53 on that journey leg) Majority of passengers who use the commute between Reading and Guildford. 7

8 Paignton: Current weekday provided 07:02 Paignton to Piccadilly weekday 07:02 Paignton to Piccadilly Alternative s Background No change N/A 10:07 Paignton to Piccadilly 10:50 Exeter St to Piccadilly Passengers from stations between Paignton and Exeter St to use alternative GWR Devon Metro s to connect at Exeter Service lightly used (average loads of 88 beyond Exeter) Enables half hourly from Exeter St 14:04 Paignton to Piccadilly 14:48 Exeter St to Piccadilly Passengers from stations between Paignton and Exeter St to use alternative GWR Devon Metro s to connect at Exeter Service lightly used (average loads of 50 on that journey leg) Enables half hourly from Exeter St 20:14 Paignton to New Street 20:52 Exeter St to New Street Passengers from stations between Paignton and Exeter St to use alternative GWR Devon Metro s to connect at Exeter Service lightly used (average loads of 12 on that journey leg) Enables half hourly from Exeter St 06:42 New Street to Paignton 06:42 New Street to Exeter St Passengers from stations between Paignton and Exeter St to use alternative GWR Devon Metro s to connect at Exeter Service lightly used (average loads of 19 beyond Exeter) Enables half hourly from Exeter St 08:07 Piccadilly to Paignton 08:07 Piccadilly to Exeter St Passengers from stations between Paignton and Exeter St to use alternative GWR Devon Metro s to connect at Exeter Service lightly used (average loads of 36 beyond Exeter) Enables half hourly from Exeter St 14:07 Piccadilly to Paignton 14:07 Piccadilly to Exeter St Passengers from stations between Paignton and Exeter St to use alternative GWR Devon Metro s to connect at Exeter Service lightly used (average loads of 24 on that journey leg) Enables half hourly from Exeter St 8

9 Bromsgrove: Current weekday provided 06:40 to calling at 08:23. weekday 06:40 to, not calling at Bromsgrove Alternative s Background Passengers will have three London Midland Cross City s per hour to New Street via Longbridge. Passengers will also have one Hereford to New Street calling at University only. Service to be provided by alternative operator. Removing call enables rolling stock redeployment to better match capacity to demand on the to corridor via Nuneaton. Only 13 passengers alight at Bromsgrove. 07:10 Gloucester to Airport calling at 07:47. 07:10 Gloucester to Airport not calling at Bromsgrove Passengers will have three London Midland Cross City s per hour to New Street via Longbridge. Passengers will also have one Hereford to New Street calling at University only. Service to be provided by alternative operator. Removing call enables rolling stock redeployment to better match capacity to demand on the to corridor via Nuneaton. Only 17 passengers alight at Bromsgrove. 16:10 to calling at 17:49. 16:10 to not calling at Bromsgrove Passengers will have three London Midland Cross City s per hour to Bromsgrove via Longbridge. Passengers will also have at least two to Hereford s in the peak hour. Service to be provided by alternative operator. Removing call enables rolling stock redeployment to better match capacity to demand on the to corridor via Nuneaton. Only 21 passengers alight at Bromsgrove. 17:10 to calling at 18:49. 17:10 to not calling at Bromsgrove Passengers will have three London Midland Cross City s per hour to Bromsgrove via Longbridge. Passengers will also have a to Hereford xx minutes prior. Service to be provided by alternative operator. Removing call enables rolling stock redeployment to better match capacity to demand on the to corridor via Nuneaton. Only 6 passengers alight at Bromsgrove. In each circumstance above, these s should be either replicated utilising a local train operator or represent s introduced in 2007 that have been superseded by enhancements to local s. 9

10 Aberdeen: Current weekday provided 06:42 Dundee to Aberdeen 08:20 Aberdeen to Penzance 09:25 Plymouth to Aberdeen 21:31 Aberdeen to Edinburgh weekday 06:42 Dundee to Aberdeen 11:08 Edinburgh to Penzance 09:25 Plymouth to Edinburgh 21:31 Aberdeen to Edinburgh Alternative s Background This will be required to be operated by an alternative provider This will be required to be operated by an alternative provider serving intermediate stations as per existing times This will be required to be operated by an alternative provider serving intermediate stations as per existing times This will be required to be operated by an alternative provider All calls will continue to be served however through journeys between stations north of Edinburgh and stations south of Edinburgh will be required to undertake connections at Edinburgh. 3.4 Timetable optimisation Appendix C of this document outlines on a train by train basis the proposed changes to s to make clear the effects that the changes will have across the network at different times of day. This Appendix also identifies where and at what times there is a change in seating capacity on s. It is therefore possible to identify how our concept delivers additional into major cities, or on key corridors through longer trains, or through additional trains. It is this additional capacity, brought about simply through longer trains or increased frequency which provides a net increase in in some hours as the increase in seating capacity is spread across more than one train. The extension of our current hourly to Bristol group onwards to Exeter is not only intended to increase the number of direct trains between Exeter and Bristol each day, it is also intended to allow passengers to use these s to connect into other operators trains at Taunton, Tiverton Parkway or Exeter so that there are more opportunities each day to reach destinations west of Exeter from Bristol, the West Midlands, the Potteries and with only one change of trains improvements to the to Airport route: CrossCountry s on the to and Airport route currently experience periods of high demand, particularly between and in the peak hours. The level of provided in both frequency and seating capacity has remained unchanged since the franchise was let in 2007, leading to acute crowding between and Nuneaton. Improving the amount of seating available on this route at these times will improve overall journey experience as well as providing an economic stimulus 10

11 through reduced journey penalties for those customers affected by crowding. An increase in the number of by boosting the number of vehicles on this route is proposed, providing an extra 300 per day. Furthermore one peak in each direction would be extended beyond to Cambridge, providing new journey opportunities. To enable this to occur within the existing rolling stock resource level requires the existing Bromsgrove station calls on the to group to be removed. This change would be mitigated by the extension of London Midland s Cross City line from Longbridge to Bromsgrove which will improve the frequency of local s between Bromsgrove and. Stakeholder aspirations for an increased frequency between and Cambridge could be achieved by 2020 upon completion of infrastructure schemes at Ely North Junction and station. This would also enable possible rolling stock cascades to occur to provide the resource to operate such a. The introduction of additional peak s is therefore seen as a step towards these aspirations. Please see Appendix C for further details on the proposed improvements and impact to the passenger. [Note that the 05:19 -, 09:21 -, 12:52 -, 14:18 -, 15:22 - and the 19:21 - all increase from 120 to 200 in December 2016]. Question 1) Do you agree with the proposal to enhance the number of on the to route? Question 2) Do you agree with the proposal to extend one per day in each direction from to Cambridge? improvements to/from Exeter: The level of train provided between Exeter and Bristol has remained relatively unchanged since the CrossCountry franchise was let in 2007, whilst demand has grown during this time and so with it have stakeholder requests for an improved frequency. This proposal specifically aims to meet the requests of the Peninsular Rail Task Force who represent all regional and local authorities in the South West. The economic and environmental benefits of doubling the frequency of fast, Intercity style s between these locations is strong and would act as an enabler to continued growth to Bristol and the South West. A two train per hour frequency from Exeter to Bristol and by extending the majority of to Bristol s would provide an additional 3,000 per day between Exeter and Bristol; and make Exeter a connectional hub between CrossCountry and Devon Metro s whilst same platform changes at Taunton or Tiverton Parkway would increase connectional opportunities between North West England, the West Midlands and Devon and Cornwall. These enhancements can be resourced from the existing rolling stock but require alterations to through s between Paignton and. Retention of the current level of CrossCountry Paignton s combined with extending to Bristol s to Exeter St is not possible. The reasons for this are: 11

12 The quantum of rolling stock required would exceed that available in the franchise given the balanced view as to how rolling stock is allocated to meet demand across the whole of the franchise The inefficient use of rolling stock that the timetable would generates a poor business case Please see Appendix C for further details on the proposed improvements and impact to passengers. The option described in this proposal is the optimum opportunity given the current situation, with a doubled frequency between Bristol and Exeter acting as a catalyst for economic growth across Devon and Somerset. [Note: The 07:02 Paignton to remains and still provides a through weekday to the Midlands in this proposal]. Question 3) Do you agree with the proposal to deliver over 3000 additional between Bristol and Exeter and other changes to s in the South West for its delivery? improvements to the South Coast s: CrossCountry s through Reading have experienced a number of changes since Extensions of selected Newcastle to Reading s onwards to Southampton and more recently journey time improvements between Reading and have been enabled improvements to s on this route. Further developments including additional seating capacity on key trains as well as an earlier first through from Reading to are now proposed to continue to meet stakeholder requirements and generate economic benefits on this route. To enable this, the limited extensions between Reading and Guildford will be removed; however passengers on this route will soon have an improved frequency from Reading from GWR North Downs. Please see Appendix C for further details on the proposed improvements and impact on the passenger. [Note: A new would be provided departing Reading at 06:52, arriving into Southampton at 07:44 and at 08:14.The removal of calls at Guildford would affect the following s: 06:02 Guildford to Newcastle (will recommence Reading at 06:45) 13:35 Newcastle to Guildford (will terminate Reading at 18:08)] Question 4) Do you agree with the proposal to increase the number of per day through Reading on CrossCountry s? Do you agree with the proposal to introduce an earlier first train from Reading to via Southampton? 12

13 3.4.4 improvements to Aberdeen s: The current CrossCountry provision for Aberdeen is primarily aimed at providing additional capacity between Aberdeen and Edinburgh. One impact of providing this is that high capacity five car Voyagers are therefore dedicated to serving the extremities of the network at times when their optimum location should be in the core of the network at that time. The December 2017 proposal seeks to rebalance this by serving Aberdeen during the daytime, offering a more attractive for through journeys from the Midlands, Yorkshire and the North, arriving Aberdeen in the early afternoon. The parts currently used by CrossCountry s would then be available to other operators. Services originating or terminating at Dundee to and from the south would be unaffected in this proposal. These are the 06:32 Dundee to Plymouth and the 11:25 Plymouth to Dundee. Question 5) Do you agree with the proposal to operate through s from the Midlands to Aberdeen in the daytime vice early morning / late evening? Question 6) Do you agree with the proposal to utilise higher capacity rolling stock in the core of the network at peak times? 3.5 Crowding and future impact on demand The current CrossCountry network can encounter significant surges in demand at peak times at multiple locations concurrently. The structure and nature of the existing timetable means there is no remaining scope to simply move train capacities whilst maintaining some key flows. The effect of this would be to simply move the problem of crowding from one location to another with no significant net improvement overall on the number of passengers standing. Existing growth forecasts show that demand for travel on CrossCountry s will continue with a positive trend. If the seating capacity available remains static, then crowded s will worsen whilst s which currently have spare seating capacity will become crowded improvements to the Bristol area: CrossCountry s in the Bristol area currently experience periods of high demand to Taunton and Cheltenham Spa in the peak hours. The level of provided in both frequency and seating capacity has remained unchanged since the franchise was let in Improving the amount of seating available at these times will improve overall journey experience as well as providing an economic stimulus through reduced journey penalties for those customers affected by overcrowding. Improved, efficient usage of high capacity HST train sets on key s will provide a significant increase in the number of available, whilst frequency enhancements to Taunton and Exeter will provide greater journey choices. These improvements will provide an extra 1,000 per day between Bristol, Cheltenham Spa and. Please see Appendix C for further details on the proposed improvements and impact on the passenger. 13

14 [Note: The following would be curtailed to commence operation from Bristol Temple Meads: 06:09 Bath Spa to Glasgow Central] We were seeking to add some additional station calls at Gloucester in our to Bristol s from December It will not be possible to achieve this as there is not enough track capacity to accommodate these s at this time. It is possible this may be achieved in December 2018, and we will work with Network Rail to review the situation. We will consult affected stakeholders on this proposal nearer the time. Question 7) Do you agree with the proposal to enhance the number of in the Bristol area? improvements to the Yorkshire s: CrossCountry s between Leeds and Sheffield experience crowding issues in the peak hours between these locations. Customers are attracted by the faster journey times and InterCity type offered, compared to slower regional s operating via Wakefield Kirkgate or Rotherham. The provision between these two cities has not changed since In view of rising demand, stakeholders have been requesting extra capacity between these two cities and this proposal provides 1,000 extra per day. To enable this to occur, one on the Reading to Newcastle group would need to be rerouted via Doncaster. This would also offer a new evening peak via Doncaster with faster journey times and more as a result. The provision of extra s at peak times will use track capacity which it is planned will be used in the future by the Northern Franchise. It is envisaged that the train paths proposed to be used by CrossCountry will eventually be used by Northern. Question 8) Do you agree with the proposal to increase the peak time frequency between Leeds and Sheffield, so providing 1,000 extra per day? 3.6 Rolling stock and resources Our planning assumption for this timetable concept is that additional rolling stock would be available in December This would be through the following: An additional Voyager train (through reforming two five carriage Voyager and two spare end vehicles into three four carriage Voyager sets) Increased weekday utilisation of our existing High Speed Train fleet No other additional rolling stock is currently foreseen to be available. Within the busiest parts of our network, it is also our assumption that additional train paths on current infrastructure will not be available, with the exception of those discussed in this document. 14

15 3.7 Weekend The existing weekend timetable dates largely from 2007/2008 with some minor changes to improve summer Saturday provision to the English Riviera in Customer and passenger habits and demand change over time and the future CrossCountry timetable offer should adapt where possible to meet it. Our ability to increase s at weekends (and in summer months) is limited and our national network of s leaves us badly affected by engineering possessions which further impede the effective use of resources. Sundays are particularly popular days for long distance CrossCountry travel and we envisage improvements where possible to meet passenger requirements. We base the development of our weekend timetable on our weekday operation, and therefore any decrements to the weekday may also be applied at weekends. 3.8 Ensuring train s meet the needs of the areas and passengers they serve The needs of the different geographical areas served by CrossCountry change over time and how we best serve these needs require review at the optimum time. With the potential significant changes being made by other TOCs who interface with CrossCountry between 2016 and 2018, now is the correct time to review. Changes to provision by other operators acts as potential enablers to address issues such as frequency and crowding. The impact of these changes influences loading demands to the CrossCountry network and provides a catalyst for timetable changes to best meet these new demand levels. Examples of planned changes being made by other operators include: Table B Train Operating Company and anticipated change date East Coast Main Line May 2016 Greater Anglia May 2016 York to Newcastle - December 2016 Bromsgrove Electrification December 2017 Brief description and likely impact of anticipated change Virgin Trains East Coast will be extending six Kings Cross Newcastle s per day from Newcastle to Edinburgh from the May 2016 timetable. These changes also improve evening connectivity between Edinburgh and Newcastle. Abellio Greater Anglia will operate an additional one per day between Cambridge and Ely at 15:50 from the May 2016 timetable. First TransPennine Express will be extending four trains per day from York to Newcastle as a precursor to further changes in December Infrastructure changes through electrification and station improvements at Bromsgrove will support the extension of 3 Cross City Line s per hour from Longbridge to Bromsgrove. The improved Cross City Lines timetable will provide capacity and frequency improvements for Bromsgrove passengers London Paddington South West s December 2017 Great Western Railway will operate the majority of high speed s to the West of England via the Berks & Hants route therefore removing the Bristol call. This will reduce the number of s between Paignton/Plymouth/Penzance and Bristol by four trains per day. 15

16 Industry capacity will be reduced between the West of England and Bristol. York to Newcastle - December 2017 North Down Line improvement - December 2017 First TransPennine Express will extend all Airport York s to Newcastle delivering a one train per hour all day. This will support a 2 trains per hour York Newcastle frequency. Great Western Railway will introduce an additional hourly between Reading and Gatwick in December This will deliver a 3 trains per hour between Reading and Redhill. The improved North Downs timetable will provide capacity and frequency improvements for Guildford passengers Kenilworth Station December 2017 Devon Metro December 2018 London Midland will operate an additional one train per hour between Coventry and Leamington Spa calling at Kenilworth. Great Western Railway will double the frequency of s between Paignton and Exeter to deliver a 2 trains per hour as part of Devon Metro. The improved Torbay Line will provide capacity and frequency improvements for Paignton and Torbay passengers Plymouth Penzance December 2018 Leeds to Sheffield - December 2019 Sheffield to Chesterfield December 2019 Rolling stock changes across Scotland 2019 Great Western Railway will increase the frequency of between Plymouth and Penzance to deliver a 2 trains per hour level. Northern Railway will introduce a new hourly fast between Sheffield and Leeds by December What does this mean for passengers? Crowding between Leeds and Sheffield will be reduced in December 2019 through introduction of the Northern Railway Northern Railway will introduce additional peak s between Sheffield and Chesterfield from December 2019 (through extension of the Hull Sheffield ). ScotRail will be introducing HSTs on s between Edinburgh and Dundee and Aberdeen. The changes to rolling stock will provide an increase in capacity provided by ScotRail between Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh 16

17 4. How to respond The consultation period begins on Monday 7 November 2016 and will run until 1700 on Sunday 2 January Please ensure that your response reaches us before the closing date. If you would like further copies of this Consultation document, it can be found at: You may respond by filling out the Consultation survey online at: or consultation responses to: consultation@crosscountrytrains.co.uk or send your responses to us at: CrossCountry Future Timetable Consultation Freepost RRXU-HUEC-GLLY, 5 th Floor Cannon House, 18 Priory Queensway, B4 6BS. If you have any special format requirements for how you wish to receive this document, such as large print, please contact: consultation@crosscountrytrains.co.uk When responding, please state whether you are responding as an individual or representing the views of an organisation. If responding on behalf of a larger organisation please make it clear who the organisation represents and if the response represents their collective view. 5. Next Steps Once this consultation has concluded, after taking its results into account, CrossCountry will submit a proposal to the DfT. Implementation of the proposal will be dependent on reaching commercial and contractual agreement; and also on CrossCountry acquiring adequate track access provision through standard rail industry processes. 17

18 6. Appendicies Appendix A: The Current Franchise Introduction This section sets out the context and background to the CrossCountry franchise and is for the purpose of explaining the current resources available to the franchise to deliver the operational timetable. It covers: Current routes and s Passenger numbers Passenger satisfaction Trains Operational performance Current routes and s The CrossCountry franchise is the most geographically extensive passenger rail in Great Britain, operating train s to 121 stations in England, Scotland and Wales and covering approximately 21 million miles per annum. 298 s each weekday operate on radial routes through our central hub at New Street. We serve locations such as Penzance,,, Airport, and Aberdeen meaning that we operate out of seven of the eight Network Rail routes. CrossCountry differs from other long distance inter-city train operating companies in that we do not serve Greater London or the South East and rather than operating our own stations, we call at entirely at stations operated by other train companies. 18

19 CrossCountry network map 19

20 CrossCountry s current timetable and route structure consists of one train per hour (with some extensions) to: Edinburgh Plymouth (via Leeds), Reading (via Doncaster) Bristol In the core of our network, this provides two trains each hour between: and and Newcastle and Reading and Bristol These are operated and resourced by the following fleet types as seen in section 3.3: Rolling Stock The current CrossCountry franchise uses three different types of train to operate s across the network. The types used are: Voyagers: Voyager sets operate the majority of s across the length and breadth of the network, operating from Aberdeen in the north to Penzance in the south. A mixture of four and five carriage formations is operated and it is possible to couple more than one train together to make 8, 9 or ten car formations. The number of provided per set varies from 200 in a four carriage set to 262 in a five carriage set. All have one First Class carriage. The number of Voyager trains sets will increase from 57 to 58 by December 2017 through the innovative plan of utilising two spare end vehicles and remarshalling of two five carriage sets into three four carriage sets. A significant number of existing Voyager s however experience crowding at some point on at least one of the s operated by them. 20

21 High Speed Trains (HSTs): CrossCountry operates a fleet of five High Speed Train (HST) sets, which operate solely on the Plymouth to Edinburgh via and Leeds corridor. They all provide 457 across seven carriages, with five Standard and two First Class carriages available to customers. Turbostars: Turbostar sets operate inter-urban s from to and to Airport via. A mixture of two and three carriage sets are operated, with a small number of peak time s operated by multiple sets coupled together into four and five carriage lengths. A total of 29 sets are operated, with the number of provided ranging from 120 to 200 per train. Each set has a small First Class section of nine, with the remainder of the set having Standard. 21

22 The table below shows a breakdown of the current rolling stock by fleet: Table A Rolling Stock type Fleet Size Route usage Typical Service usage Max speed No. of Voyagers (Class 221 s and Class 220 s) 22 x 5-car (Class 221) 1 x 4-car (Class 221) 34 x 4-car (Class 220) Long Distance / Intercity Reading Edinburgh - Plymouth 125mph 5 car = car = 200 HST 5 Power car (Class 43) Long Distance/ intercity Aberdeen - Penzance 125mph 7 car formation = x Trailer sets Class x 2-car Inter- 100mph 2 car = 120 regional 14 x 3-car - /Cambridge 3 car = 200 Passenger numbers At a UK rail industry level, passenger journeys have almost doubled over the past 18 years from million in 1997/98 to 1.65 billion in 2014/15, rising faster than any other major European rail system Over 35 million journeys were made on CrossCountry s from the start of April 2014 to the end of March 2015 with 2.1 billion passenger miles travelled. Passenger journeys have grown by around 13% between 2010/11 and 2014/15. The demand for CrossCountry journeys is dispersed across the franchise map none of which accounts for a significant percentage share. This makes CrossCountry quite unique when compared with other long distant operators, which tend to have a smaller number of significant demand flows, for example to and from London. NRPS The National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) tracks many aspects of customer experience when traveling by rail, including factors which are chiefly influenced by the structure of the timetable. Chart A below shows the current trend of CrossCountry s NRPS performance: 22

23 Autumn 2007 Spring 2008 Autumn 2008 Spring 2009 Autumn 2009 Spring 2010 Autumn 2010 Spring 2011 Autumn 2011 Spring 2012 Autumn 2012 Spring 2013 Autumn 2014 Spring 2014 Autumn 2015 Spring 2015 Spring 2016 Chart A Overall satisfaction Overall satisfaction There are certain measures in particular within the suite of NRPS metrics which are relevant to this consultation: Sufficient Room for Passengers to sit and stand, Speed of Journey, Frequency of Journey In particular we see two metrics from the NRPS suite which we believe have the potential to improve and therefore have sought to influence in the development of this operational concept. Sufficient Room for All Passengers to Sit/Stand This metric is at the heart of our focus to improve the customer experience and is directly affected by the timetable structure. The following graph shows how CrossCountry s performance has tracked between four and five points below its peer TOCs over the last three years. As other operators take delivery of new fleets of trains with higher capacities and passenger numbers continue to increase, it can be expected that without intervening measures CrossCountry s satisfaction scores will decline. The measures within this proposal to optimise the use of CrossCountry s trains to deploy capacity where it is most needed seeks to address this imbalance. 23

24 Percentage satisfaction Percentage satisfaction Chart B Sufficient room for passengers to sit / stand CrossCountry Long Distance 62 Spring 2013 Autumn 2013 Spring 2014 Autumn 2014 Spring 2015 Autumn 2015 Spring 2016 Survey date Frequency Another key measure of satisfactions is frequency of s, as this demonstrates an operator is deploying sufficient trains at times when customers need them. Although currently achieving a relatively good score for this measure, CrossCountry continues to track behind other long distance operators demonstrating there remains significant room for improvement. Chart C Frequency of train s on that route CrossCountry Long Distance 72 Spring 2013 Autumn 2013 Spring 2014 Autumn 2014 Spring 2015 Autumn 2015 Spring 2016 Survey date 24

25 Percentage satisfaction Speed Speed equates to the length of time a journey takes, and is a major element of satisfaction for any long distance train operator. While the long distance sector has remained broadly static in performance, CrossCountry has continually sought to utilise the benefits of Network Rail s investment in unlocking infrastructure capacity to reduce journey times, and capturing timetable opportunities to benefit customers. The proposals for December 2017 represent the latest stage in this work. Chart D The length of time the journey was scheduled to take Spring 2013 Autumn 2013 Spring 2014 Autumn 2014 Spring 2015 Autumn 2015 Spring 2016 CrossCountry Long Distance Survey date Operational Performance CrossCountry s operational performance is measured by the standard industry metric of PPM, with Chart E outlining historic performance since the commencement of the franchise: 25

26 PPM % Chart E 92.0% CrossCountry Public Performance Measure - November 2007 to October % 90.0% 89.0% 88.0% 87.0% 86.0% 85.0% 84.0% 83.0% 82.0% PPM Moving Annual Average The target for CrossCountry s performance by the end of the franchise is a PPM measure of 91%. 26

27 Appendix B: Full list of consultation Questions improvements to the to Airport route: CrossCountry s on the to and Airport route currently experience periods of high demand, particularly between and in the peak hours. The level of provided in both frequency and seating capacity has remained unchanged since the franchise was let in 2007, leading to acute crowding between and Nuneaton. Improving the amount of seating available on this route at these times will improve overall journey experience as well as providing an economic stimulus through reduced journey penalties for those customers affected by crowding. An increase in the number of by boosting the number of vehicles on this route is proposed, providing an extra 300 per day. Furthermore one peak in each direction would be extended beyond to Cambridge, providing new journey opportunities. To enable this to occur within the existing rolling stock resource level requires the existing Bromsgrove station calls on the to group to be removed. This change would be mitigated by the extension of London Midland s Cross City line from Longbridge to Bromsgrove which will improve the frequency of local s between Bromsgrove and. Stakeholder aspirations for an increased frequency between and Cambridge could be achieved by 2020 upon completion of infrastructure schemes at Ely North Junction and station. This would also enable possible rolling stock cascades to occur to provide the resource to operate such a. The introduction of additional peak s is therefore seen as a step towards these aspirations. Please see Appendix C for further details on the proposed improvements and impact to the passenger. [Note that the 05:19 -, 09:21 -, 12:52 -, 14:18 -, 15:22 - and the 19:21 - all increase from 120 to 200 in December 2016]. Question 1) Do you agree with the proposal to enhance the number of on the to route? Question 2) Do you agree with the proposal to extend one per day in each direction from to Cambridge? improvements to/from Exeter: The level of train provided between Exeter and Bristol has remained relatively unchanged since the CrossCountry franchise was let in 2007, whilst demand has grown during this time and so with it have stakeholder requests for an improved frequency. This proposal specifically aims to meet the requests of the Peninsular Rail Task Force who represent all regional and local authorities in the South West. 27

28 The economic and environmental benefits of doubling the frequency of fast, Intercity style s between these locations is strong and would act as an enabler to continued growth to Bristol and the South West. A two train per hour frequency from Exeter to Bristol and by extending the majority of to Bristol s would provide an additional 3,000 per day between Exeter and Bristol; and make Exeter a connectional hub between CrossCountry and Devon Metro s whilst same platform changes at Taunton or Tiverton Parkway would increase connectional opportunities between North West England, the West Midlands and Devon and Cornwall. These enhancements can be resourced from the existing rolling stock but require alterations to through s between Paignton and. Retention of the current level of CrossCountry Paignton s combined with extending to Bristol s to Exeter St is not possible. The reasons for this are: The quantum of rolling stock required would exceed that available in the franchise given the balanced view as to how rolling stock is allocated to meet demand across the whole of the franchise The inefficient use of rolling stock that the timetable would generates a poor business case Please see Appendix C for further details on the proposed improvements and impact to passengers. The option described in this proposal is the optimum opportunity given the current situation, with a doubled frequency between Bristol and Exeter acting as a catalyst for economic growth across Devon and Somerset. - [Note: The 07:02 Paignton to remains and still provides a through weekday to the Midlands in this proposal]. Question 3) Do you agree with the proposal to deliver over 3000 additional between Bristol and Exeter and other changes to s in the South West for its delivery? improvements to the South Coast s: CrossCountry s through Reading have experienced a number of changes since Extensions of selected Newcastle to Reading s onwards to Southampton and more recently journey time improvements between Reading and have been enabled improvements to s on this route. Further developments including additional seating capacity on key trains as well as an earlier first through from Reading to are now proposed to continue to meet stakeholder requirements and generate economic benefits on this route. To enable this, the limited extensions between Reading and Guildford will be removed; however passengers on this route will soon have an improved frequency from Reading from GWR North Downs. Please see Appendix C for further details on the proposed improvements and impact on the passenger. 28

29 [Note: A new would be provided departing Reading at 06:52, arriving into Southampton at 07:44 and at 08:14.The removal of calls at Guildford would affect the following s: 06:02 Guildford to Newcastle (will recommence Reading at 06:45) 13:35 Newcastle to Guildford (will terminate Reading at 18:08)] Question 4) Do you agree with the proposal to increase the number of per day through Reading on CrossCountry s? Do you agree with the proposal to introduce an earlier first train from Reading to via Southampton? improvements to Aberdeen s: The current CrossCountry provision for Aberdeen is primarily aimed at providing additional capacity between Aberdeen and Edinburgh at peak times. One impact of providing this is that high capacity five car Voyagers are therefore dedicated to serving the extremities of the network at peak times whilst their optimum location should be in the core of the network at that time. The December 2017 proposal seeks to rebalance this by serving Aberdeen during the daytime, offering a more attractive for through journeys from the Midlands, Yorkshire and the North, arriving Aberdeen in the early afternoon. Existing CrossCountry s between Aberdeen and Edinburgh would be required to be operated by another operator utilising train paths at existing times. Services originating or terminating at Dundee to and from the south would be unaffected in this proposal. These are the 06:32 Dundee to Plymouth and the 11:25 Plymouth to Dundee. Question 5) Do you agree with the proposal to operate through s from the Midlands to Aberdeen in the daytime vice early morning / late evening? Question 6) Do you agree with the proposal to utilise higher capacity rolling stock in the core of the network at peak times? improvements to the Bristol area: CrossCountry s in the Bristol area currently experience periods of high demand to Taunton and Cheltenham Spa in the peak hours. The level of provided in both frequency and seating capacity has remained unchanged since the franchise was let in Improving the amount of seating available at these times will improve overall journey experience as well as providing an economic stimulus through reduced journey penalties for those customers affected by overcrowding. Improved, efficient usage of high capacity HST train sets on key s will provide a significant increase in the number of available, whilst frequency enhancements to Taunton and Exeter will provide greater journey choices. These improvements will provide an extra 1,000 per day between Bristol, Cheltenham Spa and. Please see Appendix C for further details on the proposed improvements and impact on the passenger. [Note: The following would be curtailed to commence operation from Bristol Temple Meads: 29

30 06:09 Bath Spa to Glasgow Central] We were seeking to add some additional station calls at Gloucester in our to Bristol s from December It will not be possible to achieve this as there is not enough track capacity to accommodate these s at this time. It is possible this may be achieved in December 2018, and we will work with Network Rail to constantly review the situation. We will consult affected stakeholders on this proposal nearer the time. Question 7) Do you agree with the proposal to enhance the number of in the Bristol area? improvements to the Yorkshire s: CrossCountry s between Leeds and Sheffield experience crowding issues in the peak hours between these locations. Customers are attracted by the faster journey times and InterCity type offered, compared to slower regional s operating via Wakefield Kirkgate or Rotherham. The provision between these two cities has not changed since In view of rising demand, stakeholders have been requesting extra capacity between these two cities and this proposal provides 1,000 extra per day. To enable this to occur, one on the Reading to Newcastle group would need to be rerouted via Doncaster. This would also offer a new evening peak via Doncaster with faster journey times and more as a result. The provision of extra s at peak times enables some of the proposed Northern s, due to commence in December 2019, to therefore commence earlier. It is envisaged that the train paths proposed to be used by CrossCountry would then be utilised by Northern from this point. Question 8) Do you agree with the proposal to increase the peak time frequency between Leeds and Sheffield, so providing 1,000 extra per day? Question 9) Please provide any further observations you would like to include in your response to this consultation 30