Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) Hertfordshire County Council Environment, Planning & Transport Cabinet Panel 8 December 2015 Andrew Sidgwick, Development Manager, Great Northern Larry Heyman, Development Manager, Thameslink Our contract is unique DfT receives all passenger revenue - we do not retain the fare income The franchise contract has 217 obligations that the DfT has set Key incentives around train performance, service quality (on trains and at stations) and revenue protection Penalised if we don’t meet operational targets Incentives around key project milestones Ancillary revenue opportunities e.g. advertising, commercial spaces Structured to meetManagement local needs team Passenger Service Director for each line of route Supported by Local Development Managers Our priorities Improve reliability Better information More capacity from new trains Effective major project delivery Investing in engaged and developed employees Achievements to date How are we doing – Great Northern? How are we doing - Thameslink? Our plans Infrastructure Customer Fleet information Customers experience Day to day Timetable management Driver training GTR / NR alliance Created in January 2015 Pivotal in successfully bringing key improvements ironed out issues in the December 2015 timetable, to provide a more reliable service for the entire network optimised the number of engineering access for NR to carry out maintenance, to reduce delays due to power and track failures one mobile maintenance train due to start on the South East Route proactive inspections continue at critical locations by combined teams Driver recruitment and training • Biggest recruitment and training programme in the UK Extra drivers needed for day-to-day operations without relying on rest days Have 30 more services to resource Huge training program for new fleets and services • What we have done to date Doubled the number of driver trainers with more to follow Tripled the number of courses being run annually with more to follow New training rooms available at Letchworth and Bedford First wave of drivers qualified since the start of the franchise & more currently in training • A rolling programme It takes over a year to train a driver. A minimum of 240 hours in practical training and 840 hours learning theory Driver recruitment and training • The rest day working need fluctuates depending on labour turnover, sickness levels as well as covering for holiday leave and high level of training • While we are recruiting and training new drivers (circa 100 newly qualified drivers to date), existing drivers retire and leave for personal reasons – ongoing programme • Training requirements will increase to meet the high level of change on the network: new routes around London Bridge new depots new timetable new trains • There is an ongoing impact on driver availability Improving customer information Planning At the station On the train -Departure screens - Website service -Front line team - Announcements updates -Help points - Screens - App - Twitter handles -Info screens - Twitter - Lines of route -Announcements - App Consistent and reliable communication is key when things don’t go to plan. Developing a customer centric team in our Service Delivery Centres: Social media team moved to Three Bridges SDC New customer ‘ambassadors’ being recruited GTR resource working with TfL from the new year TfL/GTR Alliance to deliver benefits that will improve customer experience e.g. interchange with Crossrail at Farringdon Improving our stations We are modernising stations to improve our customers’ experience, making it easier for them. We want our customers to have access to more modern technology, move in improved station environments, and seek support from fully skilled employees who are more readily available to meet their needs. What we have done so far : • Staffed 45 more stations from first to last trains (1 million annual footfall) 23 GN stations, and 22 TL stations • Safer stations through better ticketless travel initiative reduced from 2.6% in November 2014 to 1.95% in September 2015 • New gates being introduced at 21 stations to improve security 6 TL stations, 8 GN stations, and 7 Southern stations Once operational they will be manned and will support smart ticketing • Improved online retailing, and rolled out the Key smartcard • Staff receiving new information devices Able to access the latest travel information Improving services and capacity December 2015 – New timetable Moorgate operating hours extended to run until midnight at evenings and weekends (growing demand for leisure access to Old Street/Shoreditch area, interchange with LUL and London Overground services at H&I station) From 2016 – New Class 700 trains First part of 2016 - Class 377 introduction to replace the older class 317 and 321 units on the GN From 2016 – New Gatwick Express trains From May 2018 – New connections By end 2018 - New fleet to provide increased capacity on the Moorgate line Thameslink update • Three Class 700 are in the UK • Test running underway – overnight out of passenger service • Three Bridges depot is open • Cricklewood soon to be completed • Hornsey depot due to open in Summer 2016 • Consultation for December 2018 to follow Autumn / winter weather Leaves on line – driver training Station gritting GTR trains equipped with sand boxes On train heating Rail head treatment trains by Network Rail Joint plans with Network Rail for extreme weather Brighton line closure & communication 22:00 Christmas Eve to 04:00 Monday 4 January: NR renewal of junction to north of Purley station, plus track & bridge renewals. There will be no Thameslink trains between South Croydon and Redhill. A revised service will operate across our network - including: No Gatwick Express services - Thameslink services terminating at East Croydon - Southern services running to East Croydon or East Grinstead with connecting rail replacement buses Alternative train services to Gatwick Airport via Horsham from Victoria (c 90mins) Xmas / NY services Xmas / NY services Keeping you informed Several channels: • Stakeholder newsletter In-touch – issued periodically • By email – [email protected] • One to One meetings • Stakeholder Managers • Regular meet the manager sessions • Stakeholder extranet – Inside Track The Franchise Commitment The Franchisee shall use reasonable endeavours to procure long term funding from Network Rail to improve the facilities at St. Albans Station. The improvements to be made shall be determined by the Franchisee (in consultation with Network Rail and other relevant stakeholders including the Secretary of State) and may include some or all of the following: • optimising the use of the Ridgmont Road entrance so as to ease capacity pressure on the main station building; • providing a new dedicated cycle hub with bicycle repair shop, café and passenger facilities; • increasing the gateline and ticket purchasing facilities at the Ridgmont Road entrance; • providing a platform canopy link on platform 4 from the footbridge to the exit; • providing a larger capacity concourse in the main station building, • rationalising existing staff areas and providing increased ticket purchasing facilities; • providing full toilet provisions in the main station building; • rationalising and providing an appropriate mix of retail opportunities; and • providing a café to serve the new waiting area and both sides of the gateline. Progress to date We have identified a number of potential funding sources which could support the franchise agreement requirements for St Albans City Railway Station. We produced some early feasibility and outline costs to help us submit competitive and realistic funding applications. Our early proposals were shared with and supported by Anne Main MP, Cllr Chris White, Cllr Julian Daly and Les O’Leary (representing Ridgmont Road Residents Association and the Signal Box museum). Funding already secured £200k – National Stations Improvement Programme – GRIP1-3 works £150k – GTR Improving station facilities budget (Sheltered Facilities) Funding decisions awaited £5m Station Commercial Project Facility Fund (Conditional on achieving Return On Investment) £1m Growth Deal Funding (administered through the Hertfordshire LEP) c. £200k S106 funding for highways improvements (via Herts County Council) Next Steps • Funding Decision expected by Mid-Dec for SCPF scheme (£5m) • Funding Decision expected by 30th Jan 2016 for Growth Deal Fund (£1m) • Seek further funding opportunities to enhance the improvements across the station and surrounding areas. • If funding is successful a programme of works will be prepared to indicate scheme delivery. An outline timescale is as follows: - Obtaining relevant NR approvals – Jan-Oct 2016 - Phased delivery of works – Dec 2016 – May 2018 .