The start of the next Great Western franchise has been put back from next April to July 21.
The change of date is due to a delay in the DfT issuing invitations to tender to the various interested parties.
The £4.5 billion IEP contract for 596 carriages means that there is to be a fundamental shift, compared to other franchises, in the franchise bidding process.
It’s customary for bidders to be kept uninformed, even when it’s been obvious who, at a very early stage in the process, is actually going to be awarded the franchise. The huge importance of the IEP project means that Agility Trains will have to assist bidders in developing their proposals.
A planned six months of design development, before ‘design freeze’, for the new rolling stock will coincide with the franchise bidding, which could result in Agility having to contend with four bidders who could all have radically different opinions on how the Hitachi trains could be improved.
To avoid Agility wasting time on bids that have little chance of success, it is envisaged that the DfT may weed out the weaker bidders.
Is it too much to hope that the TOC’s will specify decent seats, good legroom, more tables, plenty of room for luggage, proper catering, no diesel engine under the carriage, or are they more likely to compete to cram in the most passengers, as most recent designs have done?
Depending where you are in the country will depend on your Rolling Stock experience. Have you been on the Hitachi Javelin 395 Michael?
Went on the Javelin 395 when it had only just started running and found it noisy and comparatively rough riding.
However I believe improvements have been made since then so may be better now.
Where I live, Milton Keynes, we have Desiros, quiet, very good ride, but poor seating especially in 3 + 2 mode. And Pendolinos, very quick, fairly smooth ride, but let down by an interior which I find is cramped, uncomfortable and claustrophobic.Â