FirstGroup
has
published
a
vigorous
response
to
a
warning
over
open
access
from
the
transport
secretary,
who
has
expressed
doubts
about
the
financial
and
operational
case
for
more
open
access
passenger
services.
In
a
document
to
be
published
formally
at
an
event
in
London
this
evening,
First
argues
the
case
for
more
open
access
services.
The
report
was
being
prepared
before
transport
secretary
Heidi
Alexander
warned
the
Office
of
Rail
and
Road
earlier
this
month
that
she
was
‘aware
of
the
additional
pressures
new
services
can
create
on
already
constrained
network
capacity
and
their
impact
on
the
value
secured
from
public
investment
in
infrastructure.
While
Open
Access
operators
pay
variable
access
charges
to
Network
Rail
to
cover
the
direct
costs
incurred
running
their
trains
on
the
network,
unlike
government
contracted
operators
they
do
not
fully
cover
the
costs…’
In
the
face
of
this
ministerial
doubt,
First
has
made
the
case
for
adding
routes,
saying
that
competition
can
reduce
fares
and
also
provide
under-served
towns
and
cities
with
new
links.
It
points
to
places
like
Hull,
which
began
to
be
served
by
open
access
Hull
Trains
25
years
ago
and
now
has
up
to
eight
trains
to
London
each
day,
compared
with
just
one
in
the
1990s.
The
report
highlights
First’s
plans
to
run
new
services
between
London
and
Stirling
and
London
and
Carmarthen,
which
have
already
gained
ORR
approval,
and
further
applications
for
new
routes
between
London
and
Rochdale,
London
and
Torbay
and
London
and
Sheffield.
The
group
has
unveiled
plans
to
acquire
new
rolling
stock
from
Hitachi,
which
would
be
mainly
manufactured
at
Newton
Aycliffe
in
County
Durham.
First
Rail
managing
director
Steve
Montgomery
said:
‘Open
access
has
a
strong
and
successful
history
over
the
past
25
years,
delivering
millions
of
reliable
and
affordable
passenger
journeys,
offering
choice
and
competition,
investing
in
new
rolling
stock
and
supporting
the
running
costs
of
the
rail
network.
‘Data
demonstrates
open
access
grows
the
railway
overall.
By
offering
competitive
fares
at
alternative
times
and
stopping
at
under-served
destinations,
open
access
inspires
more
people
to
use
trains
rather
than
cars
and
planes.
‘Since
Lumo
launched
in
2021,
an
increase
of
more
than
six
million
more
passenger
journeys
has
taken
place
on
the
East
Coast
Main
Line
than
when
it
was
operated
by
LNER
alone.
‘As
the
Government
delivers
its
rail
policy
over
the
coming
years,
I
am
proud
First
Rail
is
making
the
case
for
open
access,
investment
and
innovation
on
the
British
rail
network.’