A New Rail Company for Your Region
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A new rail company for your region From the beginning of April, train services in East Anglia will be operated by National Express Group PLC, who were formally awarded the franchise by the Strategic Rail Authority on 30 January 2004. Who are This Greater Anglia franchise National Express? integrates the three existing rail National Express Group is the UK’s franchises: Anglia, Great Eastern leading train operator. We already and West Anglia (Liverpool Street) operate eight rail franchises: c2c, services including Stansted Central Trains, Gatwick Express, Express split off from the Wagn Midland Mainline, ScotRail, franchise. Silverlink, Wessex Trains and For rail passengers in this large Wagn (including Stansted Express). and important region and for the So we have plenty of experience committed staff of the present in running the mix of rural, intercity, operators this is a significant airport and commuter services change, and National Express which make up this franchise. As Group is delighted to have been a leading international passenger awarded the franchise. We will be transport company, we have working hard between now and extensive operations in North April to prepare for the launch America and Australia. We’re also well known for our express coach and ensure a smooth transition. services, and as bus operators in This newsletter reflects the the West Midlands. corporate commitment of the National Express Group to developing open communications with our passengers, and we would welcome your views on the franchise and how we can better meet your requirements moving forward. What is new about this franchise? There are two major differences about this new franchise which Our commitment promise a better service for our to the Greater customers: Anglia region Firstly, we have committed to delivering improved service The Greater Anglia region quality standards. These standards supports a vibrant, growing focus on essential passenger needs economy. There are diverse rail such as punctuality, information, travel needs: business, leisure, cleanliness and security. In order education and the rural areas, to drive up the standards of service and commuting, not just into in these areas, we are appointing London but into the region’s a Customer Service Director other major employment who will be fully accountable centres like Norwich, for achieving continuous Cambridge and Ipswich. Rail is improvements in service delivery a vital element in the region’s and new Route Directors. social and economic well-being, Secondly, it brings together all the and we are deeply committed separate train services operating to making a success of this new out of London’s Liverpool franchise. Street station under a single management team. This move will It’s also a big business lead to several benefits, including: undertaking in itself. The region sees 95 million passenger more seamless services in journeys each year (equivalent and out of the station to 10% of UK rail travel) on over more efficient timetabling 1,600 trains delivered through better utilisation of the station the efforts of over 3,000 platforms meaning better employees. All this demands a information for customers safe, reliable and efficient more efficient railway. maintenance of Network Rail’s track. What this means for passengers In the first instance, we will be consulting with stakeholders to define the branding for the new franchise. We have also made the following commitments: £11.3 million investment in London to Norwich trains will station improvements with over continue to offer catering facilities 50 of the 250 stations being from on-board kitchens; upgraded within 18 months. Refurbishments will include the appointment of an improved booking office facilities, integrated management team for new customer information systems the Greater Anglia franchise with and CCTV at selected stations; the creation of separate business the opening of a new Customer units to give dedicated attention Service Academy in the region to specific services such as rural providing a dedicated training and airport services. the facility for all our new employees, appointment of a Customer focusing on continuous Service Director for the region to improvements in customer service; oversee the delivery of customer benefits within the franchise as well adjustment to the existing as the appointment of a quality timetabled services with more audit team to monitor standards; regular connections to key locations, including through New business Route Directors services between Liverpool will be fully accountable for Street and both Peterborough achieving a continuous and Lowestoft via Ipswich to be improvement in service delivery; introduced from December 2004. In addition we hope to bring in We will be creating an a new and improved timetable additional 40 jobs in customer from December 2005 including facing roles at stations and on trains new services between Stansted which will improve Airport and Stratford, Hertford East and Stratford; communication with passengers more than 400 train carriages a new flexi-time season ticket to be refurbished before December which is valid on all services apart 2006. Refurbishment features from those arriving in London will include CCTV on trains, during the morning peak; new passenger information systems and an improved a new brand for services within ambience; the Greater Anglia region to be the replacement of existing launched, following consultation coaches on the London to Norwich with stakeholders. From the launch service with refurbished intercity day in April, a number of trains coaches and technical will be running with the new livery, modifications to the existing trains and this will be introduced to improve reliability; progressively. More information We will issue more details as the launch date gets closer. If you need further information, please visit: www.nationalexpressgroup.com or passengers contact: [email protected].