Ministers drawing up plans to 'replace' failing Northern Rail says PM

Ministers drawing up plans to ‘replace’ failing Northern Rail and reform the nationwide franchise system says Boris Johnson amid consumer fury at poor services and the cost of tickets

• The Prime Minister said he shared ‘outrage’ of the public at the services
• Senior managers from Northern, TransPennine Express, Arriva and First Rail, d, apologised for their recent performances today 
• Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced last week that train operator Northern is to have its contract ripped up 

The Government is drawing up contingency plans to replace Norther Rail amid widespread traveller fury it its poor performance, Boris Johnson said today. 

The Prime Minister revealed his ministers are looking at reforming the nationwide franchise system amid ongoing anger at high ticket prices in return for poor services.

It came as senior managers from Northern, TransPennine Express, Arriva and First Rail, which run services across the north of England, apologised for their recent performance. 

Mr Johnson responded to a call from Labour’s  Makerfield MP to ‘commit to stripping them (Northern) of their franchise’.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, she also urged Mr Johnson to ‘commit to devolving the power and the money to the regions so that local people have the power over their local transport’.

Mr Johnson said he shared Ms Fovargue’s ‘outrage’, adding that ministers were ‘also looking at the whole way the franchising system operates’. 

‘I must say I share her outrage and I do understand what she is saying and we are developing contingency plans for a replacement for Northern Rail,’ he said. 

Mr Johnson (pictured with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at Downing Street today) revealed his ministers are looking at reforming the nationwide franchise system

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced last week that train operator Northern is to have its contract ripped up

This morning Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has called for a public deadline for train operator TransPennine Express to improve its services

‘But what we are also doing and she raises the point, we are also looking at the whole way the franchising system operates and she’ll have seen (the) Keith Williams’ very, very valuable report on that.’

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced last week that train operator Northern is to have its contract ripped up.

But Department for Transport officials later clarified that Northern could continue to operate services through a new, short-term contract.

This morning Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has called for a public deadline for train operator TransPennine Express to improve its services, saying: ‘It’s kind of last-chance saloon’.

The operator announced this week it would issue refunds to season ticket holders as its recent performance was described as ‘completely unacceptable’ by the Department for Transport (DfT).

It also announced it has cancelled dozens of services this month, and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he wanted an urgent meeting with the operator to discuss its services.

Appearing at the Rail North Committee (RNC) in Leeds on Wednesday, Mr Burnham said: ‘We are not prepared any longer to put up with, the people of our region are not prepared to put up with, the misery inflicted on their lives.’

Speaking with reporters after a number of RNC members agreed with his proposal, Mr Burnham added: ‘The committee has addressed the idea of setting them a public deadline. We are now going to take a week or two to work out what form that takes.

‘For TransPennine, it’s kind of last-chance saloon.’

Mr Shapps had been listed as attending on the agenda for Wednesday afternoon’s Transport for the meeting, but rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris took his place, with the Transport Secretary instead set to visit Leeds on Thursday.

Rail chiefs from TPE, Arriva, First Rail and Northern Rail attended the morning meeting and apologised for their recent performance as RNA members described services as ‘shoddy’ and a ‘shambles’.

Steve Montgomery, managing director at First Rail, said: ‘We do apologise for the disruption caused to passengers.’

And Leo Goodwin, managing director at TPE, added that he ‘apologised unreservedly’.

Chris Burchell, managing director at Arriva, said: ‘I would also like to apologise for the service over the last couple of months.’ 

Office of Rail and Road figures show just 56 per cent of Northern trains arrived at stations within one minute of the timetable in the 12 months to December 7, compared with the average across Britain of 65 per cent.

TPE’s 3 per cent rebate to season ticket holders comes after issues with the introduction of new trains.

During the meeting in Leeds, both Northern and TPE blamed a mixture of factors on the poor performance over the last couple of months, including infrastructure, delays in the delivery of new trains leading to a delay in training drivers, extreme weather and recent unprecedented levels of sickness.

Mr Burchell told the meeting they were involved in negotiations with drivers to implement a new contract regarding Sunday working in an effort to improve Sunday services.

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