Government-run Northern franchise aims to rebuild passenger trust

The government has taken over the running of rail services across the Northern network, and aims to demonstrate a commitment to rebuilding passenger confidence.

From the 1^st March 2020, the Northern rail will be run by the Department for Transport’s (DfT) as Northern Trains after stripping Arriva Rail North of the franchise due to failings in service levels and the company’s finances.

The DfT will use the first 100 days of running the service to prepare its plan for the franchise’s future under government leadership, through consultation with passengers and Northern leaders. A new panel to provide ongoing advice on how services will run, comprising passenger representatives, industry leaders and regional political figures including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

Other priorities for the new government run operator include improvements to overcrowding on the Northern network. The DfT is trialling new technology to identify crowding pinch points and station upgrades will see platforms extended at 30 stations across the North to support longer trains.

A major deep cleaning of carriages across the network is also underway, and extra capacity is planned with the roll-out of additional electric trains.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

This is new era for rail in the North, but there will be no quick fix for the network as we build solutions for the future.

“Today marks the beginning of rebuilding of trust in these services, and voices from the region will be essential as we work together to understand and deliver the improvements passengers need.

“Our aim is to give the North of England more powers over their railways, restoring the confidence of passengers and delivering a network they can truly rely on.”

Chairman of the government’s operator, Richard George said:

The panel announced today will play a crucial strategic role as we look to transform services across Northern’s network, putting the needs of passengers first.

“By collaborating with local leaders, we’re taking a step towards reconnecting the railways with the people of the North. We need to improve performance and also provide passengers and their elected representatives with the confidence that their concerns are being addressed.”

Northern Trains will also bring on new leadership. The DfT have announced Nick Donovan as the new Managing Director of the government run operator. Nick Donovan is the independent Chair of the Network Performance Board and successfully led TransPennine Express from 2011-2015.