Dear Colleague,
I am writing to inform you about some important developments regarding the Midland Main Line and to let you know about the public consultation we are launching today, regarding the next East Midlands rail franchise.
As you may be aware, passenger numbers have more than doubled since privatisation of the railways 20 years ago and our country’s railways need to adapt and change to be able to cope with this and future demands. This includes investing in upgrades and new services across the country, including on the Midland Main Line.
In meeting the challenge of increasing demand I am keen that passengers benefit from the rapid technological progress taking place in the rail industry. Recent years have seen the development of new train fuelling technology that is as revolutionary as anything now being deployed in the car industry. For instance, new hybrid diesel-electric (bi-mode) trains, battery powered trains and even hydrogen-powered trains promise to transform the way we use our railways.
This new technology creates new options for service upgrades – including bringing anticipated improvements sooner than expected on the Midland Main Line. I am pleased to say that bi-mode trains will be introduced on the Midland Main Line from 2022.
These new trains will deliver more seats and comfort for long-distance passengers. And they also mean that we no longer need to electrify the line from Kettering to Sheffield and Nottingham to achieve the required improvements to journeys. This approach will save passengers needless disruption and avoid any unnecessary installation of intrusive gantries and wires.
The trains will be delivered as part of the next East Midlands franchise, which will be an important step in delivering the benefits of the biggest investment in the route since it was completed in 1870. Passengers will benefit from improvements sooner, with much less disruption, and services will be more resilient.
Journeys will start to improve from 2020 and, once the full benefits of the upgrade are realised, there will be almost twice as many seats into London St Pancras in the peak compared to today.
There will also be further investment to ensure Sheffield is HS2-ready.
The government’s goals for the next East Midlands franchise are to improve journeys for passengers, drive economic growth and support investment across the region. We want to hear from the passengers and local communities about the next rail franchise to ensure it delivers the services that passengers want. The new franchise is due to begin in August 2019.
We are seeking views on:
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- Proposals to address capacity, both on the Midland Main Line and on other parts of the East Midlands network where there is overcrowding;
- New train services that could be provided on routes where connectivity is poor, to support economic regeneration;
- Potential transfer of services between operators to better meet passengers’ journey patterns and provide capacity on the railway;
- The on-board passenger facilities that are important to passengers;
- Enabling a more visible staff presence on trains and at stations to deliver better customer service;
- Making the railways more accessible to all, including those with reduced mobility;
- How to improve partnership working with Network Rail, other industry partners, local businesses and communities;
- The role that stations fulfil for passengers and communities;
- Fares, ticketing and paying for your journey;
- Passenger information, security and safety; and
- How the franchise can better support the environment, equality and the communities it serves.
The public consultation, which will run for 12 weeks from today, will help to inform and develop the franchise specification for inclusion in the Invitation to Tender in April next year. The consultation will include a number of local stakeholder events. Responses to the consultation are required by [11 October].
I would welcome your own views on the next franchise, and would also ask you to encourage your constituents to take part in the public consultation. The consultation document and online survey are available at https://bit.ly/east-midlands-consultation.
They are also available in accessible formats and hard copy on request by emailing eastmidlandsfranchise2017@dft.gsi.gov.uk
or by contacting us at:
East Midlands Consultation
Department for Transport
2/21 Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 4DR.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT