Thameslink franchise
Thameslink Great Northern is a railway franchise for the provision of passenger services on the Thameslink and Great Northern routes to Bedford, Luton, Peterborough, King's Lynn, Cambridge, London King's Cross, London Moorgate, Sutton, Wimbledon and Brighton. Currently operated by First Capital Connect, the current franchise ends in September 2014, where the franchise winner will run all services within the current network. From July 2015 the whole Southern network (including the Gatwick Express) and the jointly operated First Capital Connect Southeastern services (for example the Kentish Town - Sevenoaks via Catford) will be added creating the larger Thameslink Southern & Great Northern franchise. It will be the largest railway franchise in the United Kingdom.
2 March 1997 to 31 March 2006
It was operated from 2 March 1997 until 31 March 2006 by train operating company Thameslink. The franchise was due to end on 31 March 2004 but on 13 February 2004 the Strategic Rail Authority announced that Govia had been granted an extension until 31 March 2006.[1]
1 April 2006 to 13 September 2014
The Strategic Rail Authority decided to incorporate the Great Northern services of West Anglia Great Northern out of London King's Cross and London Moorgate to Cambridge, King's Lynn and Peterborough to create a Thameslink Great Northern franchise when it came up for renewal in 2006.
On 2 April 2005 the Strategic Rail Authority announced Danish State Railways/EWS, FirstGroup, Laing Rail/MTR, National Express and Stagecoach had been shortlisted for the franchise.[2]
On 13 December 2005 the Department for Transport announced FirstGroup had been awarded the new franchise[3] and the services operated by Thameslink transferred to First Capital Connect on 1 April 2006.
Post 13 September 2014
The Department for Transport decided to create a new Thameslink Southern Great Northern franchise with the services jointly operated with Southeastern to be added between April and December 2014 and the entire South Central franchise in July 2015.[4]
In March 2012 the Department for Transport announced Abellio, FirstGroup, Govia, MTR and Stagecoach have been shortlisted.[5]
The Invitation to Tender was to have been issued in October 2012, with the successful bidder announced in Spring 2013. However in the wake of the InterCity West Coast refranchising process collapsing, the government announced in October 2012 that the process would be put on hold pending the results of a review.[6]
In January 2013 the government announced it would be exercising an option to extend the contract until March 2014. It intends to negotiate with FirstGroup to operate the franchise on a management contract for up to two years.[7]
In March 2013 the Secretary of State for Transport announced the franchise would again be extended until 13 September 2014, and that the future franchise would be a management style contract due to the level of investment and change on the route.[8] In September 2013 a revised invitation to tender was issued.[9]
References
- ↑ Franchising Program Continues Apace Strategic Rail Authority 13 February 2004
- ↑ Pre-qualified Bidders for Two New Passenger Franchises were announced by the SRA today Strategic Rail Authority Press Release 1 April 2005
- ↑ Department for Transport Announces Winner of Thameslink/GN Franchise Department for Transport Press Release 13 December 2005
- ↑ New franchising programme Secretary of State for Transport announcement 5 August 2011
- ↑ Bidders to oversee improvements on rail franchises announced Department for Transport 29 March 2012
- ↑ West Coast Main Line franchise competition cancelled Department for Transport Press Release 3 October 2012
- ↑ Rail franchising future programme Department for Transport 31 January 2013
- ↑ "Railway plan puts new focus on passengers" Secretary of State for Transport statement 26 March 2013
- ↑ Thameslink Southern & Great Northern Invitation to Tender Department for Transport 26 September 2013
| ||||||||