Commenting on the report by the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, George Muir, Director General of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), said:
“The improvements to railway services which we have seen and the huge growth in passenger numbers would not have happened without franchising.
“A careful reading of the report shows that the committee endorses franchising as the way forward – but simply argues that it can be done better. A coherent long-term strategy is important, as the committee argues, and we look forward to the Government’s High Level Output Statement and long-term strategy next year to set this out.
“But the claim that the current franchising policy is a “muddle” is just not true. There are still a lot of improvements that can be made to passenger services, and the next ten years are going to be very challenging, but our railway is the fastest growing in Europe and passenger satisfaction, at 80%, is higher than it has probably ever been.
“We support the committee’s recommendations regarding:
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Longer franchises of up to 15 years with more flexibility for train operators to really innovate including an emphasis on environmental improvements.
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Vertical integration ‘pilots’.
“We agree that the number and size of franchises across the network is “broadly sound” and that decisions regarding open access must ensure that the needs of passengers are paramount.”
