TOCs - Page 13

Department for Transport unveils companies in running for next West Midlands franchise

Luton Borough Council has called on the Department for Transport to introduce four trains per hour between London Luton Airport (LLA) and central London.

TransPennine Express planning a three-phase improvement to its services, with the first - a sixth hourly Manchester-Leeds service - starting in December 2017.

Plans for smart ticketing and improved connectivity

Process for transfer of Manchester and Blackpool North, Barrow and Windermere services to new Northern franchise from April 1 begins.

The new Northern and TransPennine Express franchise proposals “were subjected to a financial robustness test, and considered low-risk by the DfT”.

Cost of staff for Northern and TPE franchise bids revealed

The cost of procuring the TransPennine Express franchise (to the end of November 2015) was £6.9m, with a further £0.6m to come.

The cost to Government of the recently completed Northern rail franchise procurement process, to the end of November 2015, was £8.0 million.

The Department for Transport awards 11 companies Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) Passports, in effort to make it easier and faster to bid for franchises.