1. DfT did not specify in our Invitation to Tender (ITT) that the new ECML operator should serve Lincoln. The ITT asked for a fifth train per hour to provide additional capacity on the main line, and particularly to serve Grantham, Newark and Retford so that trains to Leeds/Newcastle/Edinburgh could be speeded up, but left it open for bidders to determine the origin/destination of the fifth train. The ITT said:
"of the five trains, four are expected to provide limited-stop fast services: two to York and beyond, and two to Leeds. The fifth train is designed to provide an hourly service calling at all intermediate stations between Peterborough and Doncaster; bidders must suggest suitable destinations for these paths that maximise the financial value;"
2. Such specification decisions are based on a consideration of the core objectives of the franchise, affordability, value for money for the taxpayer, operational factors (such as the size of the fleet) and the other services offered in the region.
3. NXEC, as the winning bidder, proposed that the fifth train should run in alternate hours between Kings Cross and York or Lincoln. DfT contracted on this basis as an intrinsic part of their overall bid. The bid states that they had examined running to Grimsby or Cleethorpes but found that these extensions of the proposed Lincoln services did not have a positive business case so were not included in the bid.
4. NXEC's bid, including the proposed two-hourly Kings Cross-Lincoln service was contractualised in the franchise agreement. Implementation is dependent on NXEC acquiring the necessary access rights and the office of Rail Regulation will announce its decisions on the allocation of ECML access rights at 10.00 on Thursday 29 January 2009.
5. Once the core timetable has been developed it is possible that NXEC might be open to considering extending some services to Grimsby or Cleethorpes, subject to their assessment of the practicalities and costs (for instance additional rolling stock and train crew). This is a matter for the operator.