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Essex: MP claims rail franchise bidders need quicker response

1:20pm Wednesday 17th August 2011 in News

A politician has criticised a rail operator for delays in responding to companies interested in taking over its franchise.

National Express East Anglia (NXEA) were stripped by the Government of running the Greater Anglia franchise from next year.

Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers confirmed 448 bidders have asked the company for more information.

Mrs Villiers said as of July 11, the company had responded to 405 and replied to 220 within the general target time of 14 days.

Witham MP Priti Patel, who wants a new operator to run the franchise and improved customer service, said: “Bidders need to have as much information given to them as soon as possible so they can work on their proposals to run an improved railway service from next year.”

But a NXEA spokesman said: “We are working with the Department for Transport in providing timely and accurate responses to bid clarification requests received in respect of the Greater Anglia franchise.

“The level of information required varies dependent on each request and we are fully focused in ensuring we provide appropriate and detailed responses.”

Comments(16)

Balexan says...
1:39pm Wed 17 Aug 11

Is Priti Patel an actual person, or a broken record?
448 bidders!! What more of a sign that the service is a cash cow do you need?
Well, they can start by cutting fairs, replacing the trains with something that doesn't run like a dustbin on wheels, running a more frequent service to B'tree, getting more than 1 member of staff at B'tree station (and keep someone there unil the last service arrives). Oh, and how about a later service so that everyone doesn't have to rush home on a Friday or weekend to catch the last train?

Did you get that Priti, sod the customer service, we're used to it being crapp, just cut the fares and make it into real public transport.

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skinnr says...
1:50pm Wed 17 Aug 11

448 bidders? I think are only 3....

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skinnr says...
1:50pm Wed 17 Aug 11

448 bidders? I think are only 3....

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skinnr says...
2:03pm Wed 17 Aug 11

448 Bidders? I think are only three....

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skinnr says...
2:03pm Wed 17 Aug 11

448 Bidders? I think are only three....

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snoswad says...
2:22pm Wed 17 Aug 11

yes 448 bidders.must be money for old rope-y travel comfortless at big bucks.

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The Stinker says...
2:22pm Wed 17 Aug 11

I wonder how often Priti Patel uses the train service. I have to say that travelling from Witham is usually pretty (no pun) good but I am not happy about paying more for that level of service. I have commuted from Braintree and the poor train service was one of the reasons I moved away.

Spot on, Balexan, I can't believe there are actually 448 organisations who could run the service though!

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The Stinker says...
2:22pm Wed 17 Aug 11

I wonder how often Priti Patel uses the train service. I have to say that travelling from Witham is usually pretty (no pun) good but I am not happy about paying more for that level of service. I have commuted from Braintree and the poor train service was one of the reasons I moved away.

Spot on, Balexan, I can't believe there are actually 448 organisations who could run the service though!

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up the U's paul says...
2:22pm Wed 17 Aug 11

Don't you read or can't you read 448 requesting details NOT bidders and who is going to kill the cash cow. Absolutely nothing will change that's how they get the share holders the most pay back .

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up the U's paul says...
2:22pm Wed 17 Aug 11

Don't you read or can't you read 448 requesting details NOT bidders and who is going to kill the cash cow. Absolutely nothing will change that's how they get the share holders the most pay back .

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Balexan says...
2:22pm Wed 17 Aug 11

That does seem a little high doesn't it. Where as 3 seems strangly low?

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Boris says...
2:35pm Wed 17 Aug 11

The report says 448. This number is ridiculous. Any company bidding to take this over should have been required to deposit a sizeable amount, say £10 million, with the Government. This would have eliminated the chancers and no-hopers. Why should NXEA have to answer questions from this mass of bidders, most of them not serious at all?

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Tolkny says...
2:35pm Wed 17 Aug 11

It is unrealistic to expect a quick response about anything connected with the railway that involves Witham Station.

The seats near the front entrance, which were very convenient for frail and disabled passengers awaiting onward transport were removed about 15 or so years ago and have never been replaced.

In 2001 I was given an Essex County Council leaflet to say that the car parking at the front would be upgraded by Easter (obviously not that year it has yet to materialise)

AND the repair of the platform crossing bridge is only just being done and that is following a train crash on 1st September 1905 - nearly 106 years ago, that must be a record!

http://www.heritage-
print.com/railway_di
saster_witham_essex_
1905/print/4286337.h
tml

http://hysterical.fo
xearth.org.uk/2007_1
2_01_archive.html

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Boris says...
2:43pm Wed 17 Aug 11

The report says 448. This number is ridiculous. Any company wanting to bid to take this over should have been required to deposit a sizeable amount, say £10 million, with the Government. This would have eliminated the chancers and no-hopers. Why should NXEA have to answer this mass of enquiries, most of them not serious at all?

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Boris says...
2:53pm Wed 17 Aug 11

Boris wrote:
The report says 448. This number is ridiculous. Any company wanting to bid to take this over should have been required to deposit a sizeable amount, say £10 million, with the Government. This would have eliminated the chancers and no-hopers. Why should NXEA have to answer this mass of enquiries, most of them not serious at all?
Sorry for (corrected) repeat. I sent it because of peculiar responses from the gazette website, which seems to be struggling at the moment.

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Balexan says...
3:21pm Wed 17 Aug 11

up the U's paul wrote:
Don't you read or can't you read 448 requesting details NOT bidders and who is going to kill the cash cow. Absolutely nothing will change that's how they get the share holders the most pay back .
I don't get your comment?

"Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers confirmed 448 BIDDERS have asked the company for more information"

Is there some secret coding in here that we can't all see?

Not sure which side of the fence you're on. It is a cash cow at the moment, and that's what needs to be stopped. But you are right, nothing will change while a private company runs the service for profit, and not just to run a public service.
I'd love to see some real competition on the train lines, imagine that, two companies racing down the line to get to paying customers first, haha!

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