Liverpool Railway News and Discussion

[ill tonkso]

The most recent (this week) HS2 newsletter indicates that Liverpool services will diverge just south of Manchester, and not Lichfield.

[Awayo]

This newsletter: http://www.hs2.org.uk/assets/x/92383?

It really doesn't.

[ill tonkso]

Yes it does, look at the services map.

[Awayo]

Yes, I can see that schematic, rather than a route map, and doubt that we can draw any conclusions from it. A hint? Maybe but maybe not even that.

[ill tonkso]

I sincerely doubt that the services will diverge at Lichfield, they would clog up the network for a start. What's the point in taking the intercity services off the old network if you are going to run them up a huge load of it anyway? Mark my words, it will diverge in the North West. Electrification of more routes up your part of the world gives us that flexibility.

Hopefully, we will see more (proper) electrification on the Southern Routes too, so we can get some decent XC services.

[bluesnapper]

There wont be a HS service to Liverpool.

[ill tonkso]

Yes there will. It will use classic compatible trains, then existing infrastructure into Liverpool.

[HollyBlack]

Originally Posted by ill tonkso

I sincerely doubt that the services will diverge at Lichfield, they would clog up the network for a start. What's the point in taking the intercity services off the old network if you are going to ... .

That is exactly what HS2 Ltd intends for the period 2026 to 2033 according to their published plans.

The world will look a very different place by 2026, especially as to economics. And perhaps climate change also.

Although we all wait with great interest to see the HS2 phase 2 plans and how they will affect Liverpool, the reality is that 14 years is a long time and it is more likely than not that whatever plans are made this year - will be radically changed before 2026.

The first change I expect to see is an extension from Lichfield to Colwich.

[LNGCats]

The route for phase 1 will be set, legally and contractually before 2015, for phase 2 just after the next election.

About 4 years, not 14 years.

There is not going to be significant to any route once the parliamentary battle and the local battles have been fought for the routes that HS2 come up with in the next year or so.

Sure, it will take 14 years before phase 1 ends, but the legal issues, planning permission etc will be sorted out well before 2026.

[ill tonkso]

Originally Posted by HollyBlack

That is exactly what HS2 Ltd intends for the period 2026 to 2033 according to their published plans.

The world will look a very different place by 2026, especially as to economics. And perhaps climate change also.

Although we all wait with great interest to see the HS2 phase 2 plans and how they will affect Liverpool, the reality is that 14 years is a long time and it is more likely than not that whatever plans are made this year - will be radically changed before 2026.

The first change I expect to see is an extension from Lichfield to Colwich.

Read the latest newsletter. It indicates that the services diverge in the North West.

[FosterGrant]

Just came across this. I'm sure it will be of interest to people on here.


SIR Richard Branson is poised to lose the franchise to run Liverpool to London trains after 15 years – with an announcement expected next week.

Virgin Rail is no longer understood to be in “active talks” with the department for transport (Dft) as ministers prepare to declare the winner of the race for the lucrative West Coast contract, through to 2026.

That winner is expected to be First Group – the operator of the Great Western Line (GWR), between London and Swansea – which is believed to have lodged a bid worth around 15% more.

But the decision will trigger howls of protest from Sir Richard and from trade unions, which have both warned it will lead to drastic cost-cutting and fare hikes.

Last week, it was revealed that Sir Richard had fired off a protest letter to David Cameron, warning the only way First Group could justify its bid was to “drastically cut the quality of services”.


Virgin and the unions have warned that may include the axing of the onboard shop, hot meals in first-class and 800 job cuts, including guards, catering and station staff.

Around 100 of those staff work out of Lime Street station. Legally, they must transfer to any new employer - but would then be vulnerable to any job cuts.

Meanwhile, rail experts believe First Group will only be able to meet its revenue growth targets by hiking fares significantly, particularly from 2020 onwards.

That is because the West Coast line is expected to be full to capacity by the end of the decade - making it impossible to increase revenues by carrying more passengers.



http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/...#ixzz2380ABQnp

[FosterGrant]

Sorry, forgot to add Page 2. here it is:

An industry insider said that Virgin was no longer in “active talks” about the new franchise, seven months after the Dft launched its consultation.

He said: “No decision has been taken – but we can all speculate about what that means for where we are.”

First Group is in the driver’s cab because it is thought to have pledged to pay the Dft £7bn over the 14-year contract - around £1bn more than Virgin.

That would involve annual “premium payments” of about £500m, three times the £160m that Virgin is currently making, having first won the franchise back in 1997.

Twice, on the East Coast line, train operators have handed back the franchise after admitting they could no longer afford such payments.


First Group itself handed back the GWR franchise three years early – avoiding more than £800m in payments to the taxpayer – by invoking a clause allowing it to do so.

Both Virgin and First declined to comment on the looming announcement. The Dft said it would be decided on the basis of “affordability, deliverability and value for money for passengers and the taxpayer”.

The new operator – which will take over in December – will be required to introduce ‘smart ticketing’, allowing the same pass to be used on different public transport services.

And it will enjoy greater freedom to change timetables, adding more stops on busy days of the week, while missing out stations on quieter days.



Read More http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/...#ixzz2381D0JuC

[Paul D]

Next phase of £40m rail refurbishment to get under way with partial closure of Liverpool James Street station

THE next phase of a major £40m refurbishment of the Merseyrail loop line will see the partial closure of one of the network’s busiest city centre stations.

The work at James Street starts on September 3 and will not be finished until April 2013.

During the first phase, from September to January, no Wirral line services will stop at the station. As a result passengers will have to get off at either Moorfields, Lime Street or Liverpool Central.

Alternatively they can travel around the whole loop and exit at platform three at James Street. That option will add eight minutes to their journey.

Once this work is complete, platform three will close from January to April, meaning passengers for all Wirral line destinations will have to use a different station.

The work at James Street includes renewing the seating and upgrading fire safety systems to bring them up to modern standards.

It is part of a rolling programme of refurbishments planned for all five Merseyrail underground stations, including Liverpool Central, James Street, Lime Street, Moorfields and Birkenhead’s Hamilton Square. It is being jointly financed by Network Rail and Merseytravel.

The work at James Street will start just over a week after Liverpool Central reopens – to Wirral line services only – on August 25.

The Northern line is not due to reopen until October 22.

Read More http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...#ixzz239JN5KdX

[HollyBlack]

Originally Posted by FosterGrant

... SIR Richard Branson is poised to lose the franchise to run Liverpool to London trains after ...
Around 100 of those staff work out of Lime Street station. Legally, they must transfer to any new employer - but would then be vulnerable to any job cuts.
... www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk ...

I thought slavery and indentured servitude had been abolished in England a while back?!

[JohnnyLeigh]

Originally Posted by FosterGrant

.....
Meanwhile, rail experts believe First Group will only be able to meet its revenue growth targets by hiking fares significantly, particularly from 2020 onwards.

[LNGCats]

Originally Posted by HollyBlack

I thought slavery and indentured servitude had been abolished in England a while back?!

TUPE???

Certainly works in the employees favour, not the opposite.

[Richard_A]

They should be offered a transfer to the new employer OR a fair redundancy settlement based on their service period. It should be entirely up to them who they work for, but instead, they will be treated like indentured labour, a form of asset, as the previous poster implied.

[LNGCats]

But the job role is not becoming redundant, it is transferring to another company, along with their terms and conditions they already had.

Been through TUPE on two occasions, terms and conditions protected each time, never offered redundancy.

Do ot particularly feel that I was harshly treated - the companies I was leaving had lost the business - the role I performed moved to a new company so I had the choice of continuing doing the same role, with a different company paying me or leaving - just as I had before the TUPE.

[Toadboy]

I don't get it.

A company loses a bid to run a franchise. Another company wins the business.

Surely staffing - numbers, job roles, pay, benefits etc. are going to be a major differentiator between the bidders or how do they do things differently with different costs etc.?

Also does this mean that the rolling stock is transferred?

It doesn't make sense, nationalise it. We're paying for the profit through taxation and subsidy anyway and we're being squeezed on the ticket prices without a viable alternative - it's not a market.

[HollyBlack]

Originally Posted by LNGCats

But the job role is not becoming redundant, it is transferring to another company, along with their terms and conditions they already had. ...

But whom you work for is an essential part of the job.
For example a first employer may give money to the conservative party and the church of Rome. A second employer may give to substantial opposites.

Is it fair that a worker who has agreed to be a servant of one be forced to be a servant of the other?
Only if the worker is viewed as something that can be bought and sold.