ScotRail (National Express Franchise) An overview of the ScotRail franchise while held by National Express Group in retrospect. The franchise was to operate internal train services, (including Strathclyde Passenger Transport), within Scotland and the long distance sleepers from Glasgow, Fort William, Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh to London.

Franchise began 1 April 1997 Franchise extended from 1 April 2004 Franchise ended 17 October 2004 Approaching Rogart from the west.

Chronology

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The Franchise

In April 1997 the National Express Group became the first holder of the ScotRail franchise. On the 17th of October 2004 the franchise was handed on to First. The changes may seem arbitrary to passengers but it is interesting to note the achievements of National Express during its tenure and the legacy of the period.

A number of improvements instituted in the period have yet to come to completion;

• Late 2004: new train servicing facility at Eastfield
• Spring 2005: 29 new TurboStar trains
• April 2005: new station at Gartcosh
• Autumn 2005: new service on new railway; the Larkhall/Milngavie scheme

These demonstrate that National Express took the franchise just as seriously towards the end of their tenure, even after it was known that the franchise had been lost. In fact over the franchise period there were a number of notable improvements over the minimal requirement of the ScotRail franchise;

• The order for 55 Class 170/4s against a franchise commitment to only 9 Class 170/4s to Aberdeen and Inverness
• The Edinburgh Crossrail scheme including the new Edinburgh Park station
• The start of the Larkhall/Milngavie scheme

Some of the improvements demonstrated industry leadership;

• Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS)
• Centrally monitored CCTV
• Standing firm against the ASLEF pay claim and introducing a new pay deal
• Introduction of Ticketless travel - bargain berths online
• DNA swab kits
  

National Express's ScotRail in retrospect

The first notable change was probably the new livery carried by trains which seemed inspired by green moorland and purple heather hills on a white background. But there were other achievements by the end of the franchise period;

Statistics and awards

• Rail Operator of the year, National Transport Awards 2004
• Passenger numbers up 17%
• Signals Passed At Danger (SPAD) incidents down
• Punctuality 4% up
• 30,000 more trains per year than 1997
• Customer satisfaction 84%
• Since March 2004 26 more stations gain CCTV and help points
• Since March 2004 27 more stations with Customer Information Systems
• Since March 2004 26 automatic ticket machines installed at 19 stations
• Taxpayers saved £400M over 7 years franchise
• Fare increases were kept below the Retail Index rises, some fares becoming lower than pre-privatisation
• 17% annual growth in passenger numbers - 53.4 million in 1996/7 to 62.3 million in 2003/4
• 4% above the national average of 85.5% for train punctuality - measured as trains arriving on time or within 5 minutes. Impressive considering 2000 weekly daytime services is more than any other Train Operating Company. Bettering the 90% Government punctuality target for 2008.
• Bargain Berths on the Caledonian Sleepers from £19 - 80% cheaper than British Rail Sleeper fares seven years ago
  

New services and improved services

• A 15 minute interval service was introduced between Edinburgh and Glasgow from 7am to 7pm
• Introduced bus/rail through ticketing to more than 40 destinations
• Doubled frequency of Edinburgh to Bathgate services to half-hourly and introduced half-hourly service linking Markinch, Cowdenbeath and Edinburgh
• Abolished £3 charge for accompanied bicycles
  

New trains and investment in existing trains

• 74 new diesel and electric trains worth £230M were ordered - 27 more than franchise obligation
• Invested £7 million in upgrading Caledonian Sleepers including custom-built cabins for wheelchair users
• Completed £450,000 programme to provide more space for bicycles on 70 trains

• Eight new stations were opened - more than any other Train Operating Company by working with Scottish Executive, Strathclyde Passenger Transport, the Strategic Rail Authority and others. The stations opened were Edinburgh Park, Newcraighall, Brunstane, Dunfermline Queen Margaret, Beauly, Howwood, Dalgety Bay and Drumfrochar.
• Major role in the £10.5 million Edinburgh Crossrail project - first internal suburban service for Edinburgh since 1967
• Increased CCTV coverage from 102 cameras monitoring 13 stations in 1997 to 2000 covering 160 stations
• New automatic ticket barriers introduction
• Lengthening of platforms at many stations

• 1997-2001 Alastair McPherson
• 2001-2 Nick Brown
• 2002-4 Peter Cotton

Sources include ScotRail Outlook Autumn 2004