Railways: Franchises
(asked on 5th December 2018) - View Source
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which rail franchises are required to provide train services on Boxing Day, and what those requirements are for each franchise.
Franchise Agreement train service specification (typically Train Service Requirements) are published on the .GOV website and the General Provisions include the specified service requirements for Bank Holidays and Boxing Day, the table below lists the requirements per franchised operator.
The Christmas and New Year period is historically a time for major engineering works around the rail network as fewer people are travelling, therefore the ability to schedule the specified Boxing Day train services may be adversely affected.
All operators publish changes to their train services for Christmas and New Year, such advice is available through the National Rail website under “Holidays and events.”
Boxing Day (26 December 2018) service requirements:
Franchise (TOC) | Franchise Agreement requirement and Boxing Day services |
Chiltern (Chiltern Railways) | No services are required |
Cross-Country (ArrivaXC) | No services are required |
East Anglia (GreaterAnglia) | On Boxing Day, train services shall be provided between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport, calling at Tottenham Hale (or Seven Sisters), Harlow Town and Bishop’s Stortford. The First Service shall arrive at Stansted Airport no later than 0715 and the Last Service shall depart London no earlier than 2315 such that a minimum of 35 services are provided between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport. The First Service from Stansted Airport shall arrive at London no later than 0720 and the Last Service shall depart Stansted Airport no earlier than 0030 such that a minimum of 37 services are provided between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street. [This year a half-hourly Stansted Express train service to/from Tottenham Hale]. |
East Midlands (EMTrains) | No services are required |
Essex Thameside (c2c) | No services are required |
Great Western (GWR) | No services are required |
Integrated Kent Franchise (Southeastern Railway) | No services are required. [This year a High Speed (HS1) service will run between London St Pancras International and Ashford International]. |
LNER | No services are required |
Inter-City West Coast (Virgin Trains) | No services are required |
Northern (Arriva Rail North) | For the duration of Train Service Requirement(s) 2 and 3, on Boxing Day the Franchisee shall operate a minimum of sixty (60) Passenger Services, on such Routes as the Franchisee may determine. [Northern have requested that this not be delivered for this coming Boxing Day, this is a matter for Rail North who is currently considering this request]. |
South Western (SWR) | No services are required |
Thameslink Southern & Great Northern (GTR) | Train services between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport at half-hourly intervals, to operate from approximately 0500 until approximately 2300; From approximately 0830 until approximately 2100; (i) train services between London Victoria and Three Bridges at half-hourly intervals, calling intermediately at Clapham Junction, East Croydon and Gatwick Airport. Alternate services shall be extended to call at Haywards Heath and Brighton to provide an hourly service between those stations and London Victoria. The requirements for these services may be combined with those between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport; and (ii) stopping train services at half-hourly intervals between: (A) London Victoria and Sutton via Selhurst; and (B) London Victoria and East Croydon via Crystal Palace. [These services will run from London Bridge this year due to infrastructure works preventing services from serving London Victoria. Ticket acceptance is in place and passengers are able to use their ticket on London Underground services between London Victoria and London Bridge]. |
Trans-Pennine Express (First TPE) | No services are required |
West Midlands (West Midland Trains) | No services are required |