Summary Description

Due Date

New and additional Services

December 2010

Introduction of a new two hourly direct service between London and Lincoln and a new two hourly London to York service calling at intermediate stations, giving good connectivity whilst enabling trains between London and Leeds, York, Newcastle and Scotland to be accelerated.

An increase in weekday trains from 136 to 161.

Circa 8,000 additional seats each weekday.

Better Performance

January 2010

Commitment to improve performance with nine out of 10 trains running on time.

Passenger Compensation

Ongoing

Introduction of a "Delay Repay" passenger compensation scheme with refunds of:

50% of the price of a single-leg journey delayed by 30-59 minutes

100% of the price of a single-leg journey delayed by 60-119 minutes

100% of the price of a return journey delayed by more than 119 minutes

Committed Obligation

Website in place at the start of the franchise, currently being enhanced to include all of the items on the left by 31 July 2009

Introduce a dedicated Franchise website providing the following functions:

(a) information on fares including for different times of travel;

(b) information about expected crowding levels;

(c) ticket booking;

(d) seat choice;

(e) taxi pre-order.

Committed Obligation

Completed

Introduce facilities to allow passengers to:

(a) print tickets at home; and

(b) display travel authorisations on mobile telephones.

Committed Obligation

30 April 2009

Employ 20 persons accredited by British Transport Police, (pursuant to the Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme Regulations 2004).

Committed Obligation

Pilot system in place, full system by 31 January 2009

Implement a system that permits a passenger to submit feedback to the Franchisee by text message from their mobile telephone.

Committed Obligation

Complete

Implement a system that permits a registered passenger to be sent journey alerts by the Franchisee by email or text message.

Committed Obligation

31 March 2009

Install electronic posters at all Stations plus Kings Cross, Leeds and Edinburgh.

Committed Obligation

Complete

Implement a system that permits passengers to be sent timetable information by message to their mobile telephone.

Committed Obligation

30 April 2009

Install "Smart Columns" at all Stations plus Kings Cross, Leeds and Edinburgh.

Committed Obligation

31 July 2009

Introduce a system offering passenger a refund of fare for the journey leg if the Franchisee is unable to fulfil their seat reservation.

Committed Obligation

30 April 2009

Provide wi-fi enabled PDAs to Customer Operations Leaders, so that each is issued with one.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2009

Installation of additional CCTV cameras at stations.

Committed Obligation

(i) by 31 December 2009

Commission comprehensive reviews of security arrangements twice, once during the period 2008-09, and once during the period 2011-12.

(ii) by 31 December 2012

Committed Obligation

31 March 2010

Provide an additional 465 cycle parking spaces at stations.

Committed Obligation

31 March 2009

Repaint stations, replace station signage, restore existing station seating and install additional seating.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

Enhance facilities at Newcastle station including the entrance and lighting. Upgrade the station toilets and provide a disabled toilet.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At Grantham station enhance the station lighting and install 6CCTV cameras.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At Retford station upgrade waiting shelters and refurbish toilet facilities.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At Doncaster station upgrade the station frontage, upgrade Standard class waiting facilities and refurbish toilets.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At Durham station upgrade waiting rooms, underpass lighting and create a safe walking route to the car park.

(a) upgrade waiting rooms and areas;

(b) enhance lighting in the station underpass; and

(c) create a safe walking route to the car park for passengers.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At Dunbar station replace/revise the existing entrance doors and redecorate/ refurbish the subway entrance to the station.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At Darlington station redecorate and deep clean the existing footbridge, install seven CCTV cameras, enhance the station entrance turning circle area, deep clean and redecorate the existing subway and refurbish toilet facilities.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At Peterborough station refurbish the waiting room on platform 4/5, upgrade lighting, re-coat and maintain non-slip coating on the passenger footbridge.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At York station use floor media on the over bridge in order to create a laned flow, enhance lighting and refurbish the ATM unit.

Committed Obligation

30 June 2010

At York station the Franchisee shall create a new waiting area including a first class lounge.

Committed Obligation

Wardens in service

Introduce peak time "traffic wardens" at Peterborough and York stations as a pilot scheme for 18 months.

Committed Obligation

31 January 2009

Introduce through bookings onto National Express coach services from Stevenage to Luton and Stansted airports, marketed as a "rail-air coach link".

Committed Obligation

30 June 2009

Provide 250 additional car parking spaces across the route, (excluding York, Peterborough and Wakefield stations).

Committed Obligation

31 March 2010

Provide 200 additional car parking spaces at York station.

Committed Obligation

1 April 2011

Provide 400 additional car parking spaces at Wakefield Westgate in a potential new car park being developed adjacent to the station.

Committed Obligation

End of Franchise

Provide 1,000 additional car parking spaces at Peterborough in a potential new car park being developed adjacent to the station.

Term

Committed Obligation

Completed

Procure and deploy 81 new mobile ticket machines.

Committed Obligation

30 September 2009

Procure and deploy automatic ticket barrier gates at the following stations:

(a)  Grantham;

(b)  Newark Northgate;

(c)  Wakefield Westgate;

(d)  York;

(e)  Darlington;

(f)  Newcastle;

(g)  Durham;

and deploy manual barriers at Peterborough and Doncaster Stations.

Committed Obligation

Completed

Provide free wi-fi to First and Standard class passengers within all trains (as comprised in the Train Fleet at the Start Date).

Committed Obligation

Completed

Commence providing annual customer conferences, and continue while customer feedback indicates they are valued by customers.

Committed Obligation

31 October 2008

Written correspondence from customers including emails/web forms fully responded to within 10 Weekdays.

Committed Obligation

Completed

Introduce an "Adopt a Station" scheme for Dunbar, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Retford, Newark and Grantham.

Committed Obligation

31 December 2009

Procure and deploy 36 new Ticket Vending Machines.

Committed Obligation

31 December 2009

Implement smartcard back-end functionality, and smartcard front-end functionality at Stations for:

(a)  ticket vending machine fulfilment;

(b)  Avantix Mobile fulfilment and validation;

(c)  Tribute fulfilment; and

(d)  gate validation.

Committed Obligation

31 January 2010

Introduce smartcard option for season tickets.

Committed Obligation

Ongoing

Retain "Investors in People" accreditation throughout the Franchise Period.

Conditions

None.

Ongoing Committed Obligation

Ongoing

Commence and continue providing conflict avoidance training for non-office customer facing staff.

Committed Obligation

Ongoing

Commence performing annual surveys of all Franchisee employees.

Committed Obligation

31 April 2010

Achieve Station Quality Management System compliance scores of:

(a)  90% for stations;

(b)  80% for trains;

(c)  90% for people

under the Service Quality Management System.

Committed Obligation

Completed

Provide enhanced operational training for senior managers.

Committed Obligation

Ongoing

Introduce Franchisee "Momentum Project" to schools. (Enhances environmental awareness).

Committed Obligation

Ongoing

Commence holding annual stakeholder forum meetings.

Committed Obligation

Ongoing

Financially support Community Rail Partnership activity to the value of £60,000 pa.

Committed Obligation

31 October 2009

Implement package of modifications to Class 91 locomotives to enhance reliability.

Committed Obligation

31 October 2009

Implement package of modifications to Mk IV vehicles comprised in the Train Fleet to enhance reliability and provide full internal CCTV coverage plus forward facing CCTV.

Committed Obligation

31 October 2009

Complete HST power car refurbishment/re-engine programme commenced under Previous Franchise Agreement.

Committed Obligation

28 February 2009

Implement package of modifications to HST sets of vehicles comprised in the Train Fleet to enhance reliability and provide full internal CCTV coverage plus forward facing CCTV.

Committed Obligation

Completed

Introduce a "Carbon Club" through Franchisee website.

Committed Obligation

Commence annual reporting of environmental indicators.

9 March 2008 then annually by 28 April each year

Committed Obligation

31 December 2009

Expend £400,000 on small schemes to reduce energy use at stations and depots.

Committed Obligation

(a)  Designate four Stations as 'Green Stations' and introduce solar power generating at each; and

(b)  install 8 (in total) small and 3 (in total) large wind turbines to serve Stations and/or Depots.

Aberdeen Clayhills depot and/or Ferme Park depot-31 March 2009; and/or

Neville Hill-31 March 2011; and 

Stations-31 December 2009.

Committed Obligation

Reduce the quantity of non-hazardous waste disposed of by the Franchisee going to landfill by 50% from 2006 levels of approximately 3,500 tonnes.

31 March 2010

Committed Obligation

Install rainwater harvesting facilities at the following depots:

(a)  Aberdeen Clayhills;

(b)  Ferme Park; and

(c)  Neville Hill.

Aberdeen Clayhills and Ferme Park- 31 March 2009; Neville Hill-31 March 2011.

Committed Obligation

Reduce water consumption by 5% from 2006 levels of approximately 150,000 cubic metres.

30 September 2011