STRONG interest in the programme to replace the 19 short-term passenger franchises in Britain has been expressed by Swiss Federal Railways, with a formal approach made to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority. With Chiltern Railways already relet and shortlists announced for several others (see table), SBB will need to decide quickly if it wishes to participate in the auction. Officially, a decision is due ’in the next few weeks’.
There is little doubt that SBB has been attracted by plans to invest £60bn over the next 10 years in the rail network. Taken with forecasts that foresee strong growth in passenger traffic continuing as more is invested, the government’s commitment is seen to have created a honeypot that had already attracted Netherlands Railways and French National Railways through its share in VIA-GTI.
After losing in December 1998 a contract to run Stockholm’s commuter services from January 2000 to the private sector consortium of GTI, Go Ahead and BK Tåg, Swedish State Railways’ President, Chief Executive Officer & Director General Daniel Johannesson last year made a public commitment to try and win operating tenders outside Sweden, on the understanding that this was ’always with local partners.’
SJ is understood to have expressed interest in Thameslink 2000, and International Director Sunit Ray says that the company may seek to participate in Trans Pennine Express. He feels that SJ’s expertise is in regional and suburban services, and says that SJ has talked to several potential partners. ’SJ is very happy with the amount of interest shown by the UK market in ourselves - we feel very honoured to have this much interest.’
Among the regional franchises, Ray confirms that SJ has registered interest in Wales Rail, as ’we would rather say yes than no at the beginning’. He felt that SJ could offer specialist experience in maintenance and in software that would be of advantage to potential partners. SJ’s expertise in ’dedicated freight trains’ may be a pointer to another area of interest.
SSRA says it is ’quite keen to encourage overseas railways’, particularly if they are in partnership with a British operator or franchisee. It insists that it is seeking technical and customer service expertise rather than high bids that could possibly outgun local operators.
Rail users in Britain perceive that railways in continental Europe offer superior service and would no doubt welcome foreign operators with open arms. But the true picture is mixed. SNCF, for example, runs infrequent services on regional routes whose equivalent in Britain would justify an hourly train in each direction. The legendary punctuality of Swiss trains would be welcomed in Britain, but the infrastructure and high levels of staffing needed to match Swiss performance do not exist. It is much more the case that the Swiss, and indeed other European operators, have lessons to learn that Britain’s operators were taught long ago about making the assets sweat.
TABLE: British refranchising programme to August 2000
Chiltern Railways: Heads of terms for 20-year franchise agreed with M40 Trains August 10 (p541).
Network South Central: Shortlist of Connex (incumbent) and Govia; award expected in September or October.
InterCity East Coast: Shortlist of Virgin Trains and Sea Containers; award expected in the autumn.
South West Trains: Shortlist announced August 17: Stagecoach (incumbent), FirstGroup with Netherlands Railways, and Sea Containers.
Central Trains: Prequalified bidders: National Express (incumbent) and Group 4.
Trans Pennine Express: Prequalified bidders: FirstGroup with VIA-GTI, Group 4, GNER Holdings, Serco, Via-GTI, Virgin/Stagecoach.
Thameslink 2000: Between 10 and 20 bidders at prequalification stage; announcement due early September.
Wales Rail: Prequalification bids due August 22.
