Overview | |
---|---|
Franchise(s) | Northern 1 April 2016 – 29 February 2020 |
Main region(s) | North West North East Yorkshire and the Humber |
Other region(s) | East Midlands Staffordshire |
Fleet | 386 units[nb 1] |
Stations called at | 528 |
Stations operated | 476 |
Parent company | Arriva |
Predecessor | Northern Rail |
Successor | Northern Trains |
Other | |
Website | www.northernrailway.co.uk |
Arriva Rail North Limited, branded as Northern by Arriva,[1] was a train operating company in Northern England which began operating the Northern franchise on 1 April 2016 and inherited units from the previous operator Northern Rail. A subsidiary of Arriva UK Trains, Northern was the largest train franchise in the United Kingdom in terms of the size of the network and the number of weekly services run. Its trains called at 528 stations, about a quarter of all stations in the country; of these stations 476 were operated by Northern.[2] On 1 March 2020, Arriva Rail North Limited ceased to operate and all operations were handed to HM Government's Operator of Last Resort.
During the preceding Northern Rail franchise passenger numbers increased from 73 million to 97 million between 2004 and 2016 and as a result the new franchise was tendered on a growth basis, allowing for a £500 million investment in 101 new-built trains: the diesel Class 195 and electric Class 331.[3] Introduced into service in July 2019,[4] these were the first new-build trains for the Northern franchise since the introduction of the Class 333 in 2001, with further orders possible if the new units encouraged passenger growth and improved passenger satisfaction.[5] The new rolling stock allowed for the first Pacer trains to be retired in August 2019.[6]
Since the franchise began in April 2016, it had been beset by worsening punctuality,[7][8] perceived poor customer service,[9] frequent industrial action by staff,[10] and delays in introducing new rolling stock.[11] The franchise was badly affected by the May 2018 timetable fallout and punctuality struggled to recover. The franchise was scheduled to run until 2025 and had an option for an additional year, which was dependent on performance.
The future of the franchise was first reviewed by the Department for Transport (DfT) in July 2019 deeming frequent weekend cancellations due to insufficient staff to be "unacceptable".[12][13][14] It also voiced concerns about declining passenger numbers despite a 10% increase in timetabled services since the beginning of the franchise in 2016,[15] and an unplanned subsidy increase from £286 million to £404 million following the May 2018 timetable fallout.[16][17]
Conversely, Arriva contended that there had been "collective system inability",[18] citing Network Rail's inadequate timetabling to absorb delays and the DfT's unwillingness to proceed with improving infrastructure which were part of the Northern franchise bid prospectus in 2014,[19] such as two new "through" platforms at Manchester Piccadilly; these would have eased congestion through the Castlefield corridor[nb 2] and enabled the planned increase in services over the course of the franchise.[20]
On 29 January 2020, it was announced that the Northern franchise would end early on 1 March 2020 - marking the first time a franchise has been removed from a train operating company due to poor performance since Connex South Eastern in 2003. From this date onwards, the franchise became directly operated by the DfT under the brand name Northern Trains with an objective to "stabilise performance and restore reliability for passengers".[21][22]
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The Northern franchise was the largest train franchise in Britain in terms of the size of the network and the number of services run.
Users of rail networks in several major cities across England have fallen. Passengers of services to Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Cardiff have suffered the largest decline, with many citing chaotic delays and cancellations as a number of reasons for no longer frequently using rail network.
Northern's punctuality and reliability hit an all-time low for the July–September period, according to industry regulator the Office of Rail and Road
Northern had the lowest satisfaction rate for politeness out of all train companies in the survey; in fact, it came last or in the bottom three of the 18 train companies in every aspect of the complaints process that passengers were asked about.
our members strongly felt that Northern have, through their poor performance, foregone any right to continue running the franchise, but clearly stating that a future management contract arrangement with Arriva Rail North should not be considered.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps has said he has issued a "request for proposals" from the train operator and the Operator of Last Resort (OLR), which could see Northern stripped of private ownership and services brought under government control.
Summary of the ORR statistics:
- In 2016-17 Q1, the first quarter of Northern's operation, timetabled services were 218,350 and recorded station stops were 1,998,326.
- In 2019-20 Q2, the last full quarter of Northern's operation, timetabled services were 241,949 and recorded station stops were 2,369,610
Q: What are Northern Trains Limited's plans for the franchise? Our initial priority is to continue to stabilise performance across the region and restore reliability for customers. We will then explore opportunities to improve the experience for customers.