Greater Anglia Rail Franchise
Encyclopedia
Greater Anglia is a passenger train operating franchise
in the United Kingdom
. It covers services on the Great Eastern Main Line
between London Liverpool Street, Ipswich
and Norwich
and also on the West Anglia Main Line
.
train operating company
), the Great Eastern franchise (held by First Great Eastern
) and the West Anglia division of the West Anglia Great Northern franchise (held by WAGN). This formed as part of a Strategic Rail Authority
strategy to reduce the number of train operating companies providing services from a single London terminal. As a result of the new franchise, the number of operators on the Great Eastern Main Line
was reduced, with the franchise holder operating most services on the line. This was expected to improve efficiency and reliability.
On 22 December 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority
named National Express as preferred bidder for the Greater Anglia franchise. The franchise was to start on 1 April 2004 and run to 2011, with provision for a three-year extension to 2014 if performance targets were met. The contract was signed on 30 January 2004. The franchise was operated by National Express company London Eastern Railway Ltd, under the brands One and subsequently National Express East Anglia.
National Express East Anglia met the targets required for the franchise to be extended, but following the failure of sister company National Express East Coast
, the Department for Transport
announced on 26 November 2009 that the franchise was to end on 31 March 2011.
Following the 2010 General Election, on 18 June 2010 DfT announced that the replacement process for the two remaining National Express franchises would be "put on hold", and re-letting was cancelled.
There were three bids for the short-term franchise. Incumbent National Express was not shortlisted.
On 20 October 2011 DfT named Abellio Greater Anglia Limited as the winner.
Government-granted monopoly
In economics, a government-granted monopoly is a form of coercive monopoly by which a government grants exclusive privilege to a private individual or firm to be the sole provider of a good or service; potential competitors are excluded from the market by law, regulation, or other mechanisms of...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It covers services on the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
between London Liverpool Street, Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
and Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and also on the West Anglia Main Line
West Anglia Main Line
The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main lines which run from London Liverpool Street, the other being the Great Eastern Main Line. It runs generally north from London, through the towns of Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Audley End station before reaching Cambridge,...
.
Origins
Greater Anglia was created to combine services previously operated under the Anglia franchise (which had been held by the Anglia RailwaysAnglia Railways
Anglia Railways was a British train operating company, owned by GB Railways, which between 5 January 1997 and 31 March 2004 operated mainline trains out of London Liverpool Street station and a number of local rail services in East Anglia....
train operating company
Train operating company
The term train operating company is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway system of Great Britain under the collective National Rail brand...
), the Great Eastern franchise (held by First Great Eastern
First Great Eastern
First Great Eastern was an award-winning train operating company that operated suburban, local and medium distance train services from London Liverpool Street via Romford to Essex and Ipswich in the United Kingdom on the Great Eastern Main Line railway.First Group gained the Great Eastern...
) and the West Anglia division of the West Anglia Great Northern franchise (held by WAGN). This formed as part of a Strategic Rail Authority
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
strategy to reduce the number of train operating companies providing services from a single London terminal. As a result of the new franchise, the number of operators on the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
was reduced, with the franchise holder operating most services on the line. This was expected to improve efficiency and reliability.
1 April 2004 to 4 February 2012.
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
named National Express as preferred bidder for the Greater Anglia franchise. The franchise was to start on 1 April 2004 and run to 2011, with provision for a three-year extension to 2014 if performance targets were met. The contract was signed on 30 January 2004. The franchise was operated by National Express company London Eastern Railway Ltd, under the brands One and subsequently National Express East Anglia.
National Express East Anglia met the targets required for the franchise to be extended, but following the failure of sister company National Express East Coast
National Express East Coast
National Express East Coast was a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running high speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland, as part of the East Coast passenger franchise...
, the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
announced on 26 November 2009 that the franchise was to end on 31 March 2011.
Following the 2010 General Election, on 18 June 2010 DfT announced that the replacement process for the two remaining National Express franchises would be "put on hold", and re-letting was cancelled.
5 February 2012 to July 2014
When tendering restarted, it was for a short-term franchise which would give the government time to plan changes in rail franchising policy based on Sir Roy McNulty's Rail Value for Money Study. It also covers the period of the 2012 Olympic Games. The new Greater Anglia franchise runs from 5 February 2012 to July 2014.There were three bids for the short-term franchise. Incumbent National Express was not shortlisted.
- Abellio Greater Anglia Limited (NV Nederlandse Spoorwegen)
- Eastern Railway Limited (Go-Ahead Group PLC)
- Stagecoach Anglia Trains Limited (Stagecoach Group plc)
On 20 October 2011 DfT named Abellio Greater Anglia Limited as the winner.
July 2014 to 2029
The third Greater Anglia franchise is expected to run for 15 years from July 2014.External links
- Pre-Qualification Process Document for the Greater Anglia Franchise, Department for Transport, 11 January 2011.