A consultation has started on the government’s controversial proposals to make minimum service levels a legal requirement during industrial disputes affecting railways. The idea is being opposed by rail unions, who have condemned plans to restrict the ability to stage a strike.  When the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill was unveiled last month, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch had said: ‘This is an attack on human rights and civil liberties which we will oppose in the courts, Parliament and the workplace. One of the most important things in any democratic society is to have free trade unions.’ However, in a Commons statement yesterday, rail minister Huw Merriman said: ‘Passengers, through no fault of their own, have been subject to severe disruption on the railways due to sustained industrial action. This has had a nationwide impact. It has stopped key workers getting to work, children going to school, and restricted people’s access to essential services such as hospital care. ‘The government recognises the importance of workers’ ability to take strike action, and this will be protected.’ The Department for Transport said it is seeking views from the ‘public, rail sector, trade unions and wider industries’ on how minimum service levels might apply to passenger railways to reduce disruption caused by strikes. The consultation will run until 15 May.

The Rail Delivery Group has welcomed the announcement that the TSSA is to put the latest pay offer to its members, by holding a ballot. The union said: ‘We have fought for months on pay, job security and conditions in the face of a cost of living crisis and intransigence from government ministers. ‘What is on the table now is a result of careful negotiations and the commitment of our members in their determination to demonstrate our collective industrial strength. ’Though the offers represent progress on a number of fronts we will continue to ballot for further industrial action as the dispute remains live.’ The Rail Delivery Group responded that the union’s decision was ‘encouraging’. It continued: ‘We hope that our TSSA colleagues will consider carefully, vote for the deal and end this dispute. ‘We listened to the union’s concerns in response to our initial offer and we have addressed them – including increasing our offer on pay. If they vote yes, TSSA members’ pay will increase by at least 9 per cent over two years – rising to 13 per cent for the lowest paid. ‘Having negotiated at length with the TSSA to agree this best and final offer, we hope that our colleagues look carefully at what is on the table and work with us to bring an end to this dispute. We can then work together to secure a thriving long-term future for a railway we can all be proud of.’ Meanwhile, members of the RMT are set to walk out again on three days in March, and also on 1 April. The RMT rejected offers from the employers earlier this month, saying ‘they did not meet the needs of members on pay, job security or working conditions’. 

Members of the RMT are set to walk out again on three days in March, and also on 1 April. The union represents a total of 40,000 workers in Network Rail and train operators. It rejected offers from the employers last week, saying ‘they did not meet the needs of members on pay, job security or working conditions’. A 24-hour strike involving most English operators and Network Rail has been called for 16 March, with further walkouts by the staff at operators set to follow on 18 and 30 March, and again on 1 April. There will also be overtime bans at Network Rail, which will include no rest day working and no non-rostered Sunday shifts. Maintenance staff will take action a week at a time, from 17 to 23 March, again from 31 March to 6 April and for a third week between 14 and 20 April. Operations staff will ban overtime from 26 March to 1 April, from 9 to 15 April and from 23 to 29 April. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘Rail employers are not being given a fresh mandate by the government to offer our members a new deal on pay, conditions and job security. Therefore, our members will now take sustained and targeted industrial action over the next few months. ‘The government can settle this dispute easily by unshackling the rail companies. However, its stubborn refusal to do so will now mean more strike action across the railway network and a very disruptive overtime ban. ‘Ministers cannot continue to sit on their hands hoping this dispute will go away as our members are fully prepared to fight tooth and nail for a negotiated settlement in the months ahead.’ Transport secretary Mark Harper responded: ‘Just days after denying its members a say on their own future, the RMT leadership is now trying to make them lose multiple days' wages through yet more strikes.’ The Rail Delivery Group said: ‘This latest round of strikes is totally unjustified and will be an inconvenience to our customers, and cost our people more money at a time they can least afford it.’ The RDG is also accusing the union of ‘reneging’ on an earlier agreement that the industry needs reforms to fund pay increases. Network Rail was also critical. Its chief negotiator Tim Shoveller said: ‘Thousands of employees are telling us they want the improved offer that we have tabled, an offer worth at least 9 per cent over two years, rising to over 14 per cent for the lowest paid, provides job security with no compulsory redundancies and 75 per cent discounted rail travel. ‘But instead of offering members a democratic vote with a referendum, the RMT leadership is hiding behind a sham “consultation”.’ 

Battery trains ++ Great Western Railway has bought equipment from battery train manufacturer Vivarail, which went into administration in December. The purchase has included rolling stock, FastCharge systems and other items. Nine former Vivarail staff have also joined GWR, as it continues to prepare for using a battery unit on the West Ealing to Greenford branch. GWR engineering director Simon Green said: ‘There have clearly been some setbacks that mean we will need to review the existing plans and timescales, but we will continue to work with Network Rail and the Department for Transport to get the project back on track.’ Cheaper tickets ++ Govia Thameslink Railway has launched two initiatives in a bid to attract more passengers during the traditional rush hours on Mondays and Fridays. GTR’s division Southern is offering peak hour Advance tickets on these two days discounted by up to 15 per cent between East Croydon and London Victoria, and also from the Eastbourne and Chichester lines as far as Three Bridges. GTR said that on Monday mornings around 40,000 fewer people (210,000 in all) catch rush hour trains compared with the middle three days of Tuesday (250,000), Wednesday (230,000) and Thursday (240,000). The new tickets can be bought up to the day before travel, but the number is limited. GTR has also launched a loyalty scheme, which will provide points for every pound spent on fares which can be used for various rewards, such as cinema tickets. On average, travel by Southern commuters remains at 70 per cent of the total before the Covid pandemic. Modal shift ++ Midlands Connect has unveiled new research about railway improvements which it says would boost rail travel in the Midlands by 48 million kilometres a year. The scheme, to improve connections from Birmingham to the east Midlands, the south west and south Wales, could reduce car travel by almost the same amount. The Outline Business Case for the Midlands Rail Hub was sent to the government by Midlands Connect and Network Rail towards the end of last year. The £1.5 billion project would include two new chords in Bordesley and the reinstatement of platform 4 at Snow Hill, which is no longer needed for trams. There would also be new freight loops between Nuneaton and Leicester to increase the capacity of that route.

Battery trains ++ Great Western Railway has bought equipment from battery train manufacturer Vivarail, which went into administration in December. The purchase has included rolling stock, FastCharge systems and other items. Nine former Vivarail staff have also joined GWR, as it continues to prepare for using a battery unit on the West Ealing to Greenford branch. GWR engineering director Simon Green said: ‘There have clearly been some setbacks that mean we will need to review the existing plans and timescales, but we will continue to work with Network Rail and the Department for Transport to get the project back on track.’ Cheaper tickets ++ Govia Thameslink Railway has launched two initiatives in a bid to attract more passengers during the traditional rush hours on Mondays and Fridays. GTR’s division Southern is offering peak hour Advance tickets on these two days discounted by up to 15 per cent between East Croydon and London Victoria, and also from the Eastbourne and Chichester lines as far as Three Bridges. GTR said that on Monday mornings around 40,000 fewer people (210,000 in all) catch rush hour trains compared with the middle three days of Tuesday (250,000), Wednesday (230,000) and Thursday (240,000). The new tickets can be bought up to the day before travel, but the number is limited. GTR has also launched a loyalty scheme, which will provide points for every pound spent on fares which can be used for various rewards, such as cinema tickets. On average, travel by Southern commuters remains at 70 per cent of the total before the Covid pandemic. Modal shift ++ Midlands Connect has unveiled new research about railway improvements which it says would boost rail travel in the Midlands by 48 million kilometres a year. The scheme, to improve connections from Birmingham to the east Midlands, the south west and south Wales, could reduce car travel by almost the same amount. The Outline Business Case for the Midlands Rail Hub was sent to the government by Midlands Connect and Network Rail towards the end of last year. The £1.5 billion project would include two new chords in Bordesley and the reinstatement of platform 4 at Snow Hill, which is no longer needed for trams. There would also be new freight loops between Nuneaton and Leicester to increase the capacity of that route.

Arriva UK Trains, which is owned by Deutsche Bahn and was the last private sector operator of Northern, has called for an industry summit about the future of open access. Arriva’s move has followed the George Bradshaw Address last week, in which transport secretary Mark Harper spoke of the government’s commitment to reform, including the possibility of more open access services. Arriva UK Trains managing director David Brown said: ‘We have long called for reform which builds on the very best of what the rail industry does and delivers cost-effective, modernised services for customers and communities. ‘It is welcome news that the focus has moved from diagnosing well-understood challenges to delivering action for the post-pandemic age, including through change that doesn’t require legislation and ensures customers quickly experience improvements and the taxpayer benefits. Arriva are ready and willing to help the railways grow and generate revenue to reduce taxpayer subsidy through our commercial expertise and understanding of what customers want. ‘It is particularly pleasing to see government commitment to supporting more open access services where it benefits passengers and taxpayers. We know through our stewardship of Grand Central and by watching other open access operations, the innovation and customer-focused improvements that can be delivered through such services. ‘We are calling for an Open Access Summit bringing together government, the regulator, industry, Network Rail and the Great British Railways Transition Team to collectively work through the barriers and blockers and agree practical steps for unleashing more of these innovative services, including through making best use of unused capacity on the network.’ The original plan for railway privatisation in the 1990s had envisaged a ‘right of access’ which could have meant almost unlimited open access, but this idea was abandoned at a very early stage in favour of ‘moderation of competition’ to protect those operators who had a government franchise. Arriva UK Trains owns open access operator Grand Central. It also currently operates Chiltern Railways and CrossCountry under risk-free contracts with the government after franchises were abolished in September 2020, during the Covid pandemic.

Test run ++ The bi-mode replacement for Avanti West Coast’s diesel Voyager fleet has made its first test run between Wolverhampton and Glasgow. The Class 805 is a new variant of Hitachi’s established A-Train series, and will replace the Bombardier Class 221s on routes between London, Shrewsbury, Crewe, Chester and Holyhead. The 805’s trial journey covered 901km from Oxley depot in Wolverhampton to Glasgow Central and back. Transport appeal ++ A coalition of 15 charities, business and transport groups has written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, urging him to ‘show public transport some love’ by protecting and investing in trains and other public transport in the forthcoming Budget on 15 March. The letter, which has been signed by Bus Users UK, the Campaign for Better Transport, the Clean Cities Campaign, Client Earth, rural England charity CPRE, Cycling UK, Greener Vision, Greenpeace UK, the Institute for Public Policy Research, the Intergenerational Foundation, Living Streets, the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Possible, the Transport Action Network and the Urban Transport Group, calls on the Chancellor to protect passengers from the funding squeeze and the cost-of-living crisis that they fear is threatening public transport. Preston closed ++ Trains will not be calling at Preston over four weekends so that Network Rail can upgrade track on the West Coast Main Line. NR said it would be investing £1.5 million in upgrading track foundations and six sets of points and crossings. The closure dates are 18-19 and 25-26 February, followed by 4,5 and 12 March. Passengers using the West Coast Main Line elsewhere on these dates are being warned that fewer trains will be running, journeys will take longer and those trains which do run are expected to be busy. More information will be available on www.nationarail.co.uk. Transpennine progress ++ Morley station between Leeds and Huddersfield has reopened after a nine-day possession, while engineers laid the foundations for longer platforms, realigned the track and completed work on drainage. The old station is set to be demolished in June and a new station will open later this year. The project is part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

The RMT is preparing to reballot its members for more strikes after it refused the latest pay offers from train operators and Network Rail on Friday afternoon. The union said its National Executive Committee had decided to reject both offers on the basis that ‘they do not meet members’ expectations on pay, job security or working conditions’. The RMT is seeking further discussions, but general secretary Mick Lynch is also preparing for the dispute to continue, because the union is preparing a fresh mambers’ ballot when the existing mandate runs out in May. He said: ‘We have carried out an in-depth consultation of our 40,000 members and the message we have received loud and clear is to reject these dreadful offers. ‘Our members cannot accept the ripping up of their terms and conditions or to have safety standards on the railway put into jeopardy under the guise of so-called modernisation. ‘If our union did accept these offers, we would see a severe reduction in scheduled maintenance tasks, making the railways less safe, the closure of all ticket offices and thousands of jobs stripped out of the industry when the railways need more investment not less. ‘We have carried out an extensive listening exercise and our members have spoken. ‘It is now time for the employers and the government to listen to railway workers in their tens of thousands. ’Our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes to get a negotiated settlement that meets our members reasonable expectations on jobs, pay and working conditions.’ The Rail Delivery Group responded that not only passengers but ‘many hard-working RMT members’ will be ‘deeply dismayed’ by the failure of negotiations. It said: ‘We removed driver-only operation and gave an improved job security offer. The railway's financial crisis is not going away. ‘The RMT leadership must now accept the urgent need to make the railway fit for the future for both our people, and the communities the railway serves.’

The National Rail Contract possessed by South Western Railway has been extended by two years. SWR is owned by FirstGroup and MTR, which have 70 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. It began as a franchise, replacing Stagecoach’s South West Trains, on 20 August 2017, and would have run for seven years to August 2024, with an option for a one-year extension at the discretion of the Department for Transport. However, the franchise began to run into trouble in 2018, when the accounts recorded a loss of almost £137 million in the year to March 2019. The directors also warned that cash support of £146 million from FirstGroup and MTR would probably run out. In January 2020, transport secretary Grant Shapps admitted that the franchise was ‘no longer sustainable’, but the Covid-19 pandemic caused franchises to be suspended in March. After a period of Emergency Measures, the DfT granted a new SWR National Rail Contract to start from March 2021 and run until May this year. This will now continue until May 2025. The terms of the contract mean that revenue is collected and costs are paid by the DfT, which gives the operator a performance fee, and FirstGroup said that ‘current contractual arrangements’ will continue. First’s CEO Graham Sutherland said: ‘We welcome the contract extension for South Western Railway, which enables us to build on the achievements of the first two years of the contract and continue improving the customer offering. We are committed to working closely with government and our partners to deliver a successful railway network that provides vital connections for customers and communities along the SWR route.’ The decision follows transport secretary Mark Harper’s announcement three days ago that the new ‘guiding mind’ to be known as Great British Railways is to go ahead, and that new-style Passenger Service Contracts managed by GBR will ‘balance the right performance incentives with simple, commercially driven targets’. He added that ‘risk will sit where it is best managed’.

Transport secretary Mark Harper last night promised to continue setting up the railway’s new ‘guiding mind’, Great British Railways. The process seemed to have stalled last year when plans to introduce the necessary legislation were put on hold, with the government saying that there was not enough Parliamentary time this session. However, in the 2023 Bradshaw address, the transport secretary said he would be announcing the winner of the competition to host GBR’s headquarters before Easter, and then respond to the consultation on GBR’s legislative powers by the summer. He also promised a major role for the private sector in the future railway, after the collapse of franchising during the Covid pandemic: ‘We will create a more customer focused and joined up railway. But we want to go further, I want to go further, and actually enhance the role of the private sector. Not just in running services but in maximising competition, innovation, and revenue growth right across the industry.’ He added: ‘I want the private sector to play its most important role in our railways yet. To reinvigorate the sector, drive innovation and most importantly, attract more customers to the railway. It will do so in partnership with GBR. GBR will help set the right commercial conditions across several key areas. ‘There will be new Passenger Service Contracts that will balance the right performance incentives with simple, commercially driven targets. But they won’t be a one-size fits all approach. In the past, we know some operators took on more financial risk than they could handle. So, now that risk will sit where it is best managed and that includes with operators, but only where it drives the best outcomes for passengers and taxpayers. We shouldn’t be afraid to let managing directors of train operating companies actually manage and direct their operations. Which is not what they’re able to do at the moment. ‘We’ll also open up railway data and systems, whilst lowering barriers to entry for the industry. For ticketing, that means a more competitive retail market and I will welcome new players to spur more innovation and give passengers the services they need. ‘We will expand commercial opportunities around land and property near stations. In Japan, rail companies take full advantage of these investments, generating even more income for the railways and we should look to do the same.’ His plans to simplify ticketing have mainly concerned the abolition of return fares, to be replaced by ‘single leg’ tariffs, which has been tried on LNER and will be extended this spring. But he also wants fares to vary according to how busy each train is. He said: ‘We’re also going to learn from the aviation sector and better manage capacity as well as raise revenue by trialling demand-based pricing on some LNER services too.’  There was encouraging news for open access operators, because Mr Harper will support more of them ‘where it benefits passengers and taxpayers’. Reaction was coming in barely before Mr Harper had finished his speech. The Railway Industry Association’s CEO Darren Caplan said: ‘The Railway Industry Association and our members will welcome the clarity on rail reform provided by transport secretary Mark Harper. The clarity around GBR, which the secretary of state was clear will be a strategic guiding mind rather than a controlling mind, is essential to ensuring that rail projects are delivered cost-effectively and efficiently by the rail supply chain, providing value for money to both the fare payer and the tax payer.’ The Campaign for Better Transport was also in favour. The CBT’s Norman Baker said: ‘This was a very encouraging speech from the transport tecretary. It’s particularly encouraging to see a way forward for growing passenger and freight business, as opposed to making cuts to save money. ‘The challenge now is for the transport secretary and rail minister to make this happen.’