Committees

Intercity East Coast rail franchise inquiry

Inquiry

The Committee’s inquiry examines the lessons to be learned from this and previous franchise failures on this part of the network; the best way forward in the short and longer term; and the wider implications for the rail franchising system.

The Committee is particularly interested to receive evidence addressing:

  • the reasons for the failure of the current franchise agreement, lessons learnt from previous failures of franchises on the East Coast Mainline and the steps the Department for Transport needs to take to guard against future failures;
  • the management of infrastructure works on the East Coast Mainline, including the relationships between the Department’s aspirations for the franchise, the operators’ obligations in the franchise agreement and planned Network Rail infrastructure works;
  • the Department’s contingency plans, particularly the steps it is taking to minimise risk to passengers and taxpayers;
  • the readiness of the Department to act as an operator of last resort;
  • the feasibility of the Department’s proposal to establish a public/private East Coast Partnership, to be operational by 2020; and
  • the wider implications for rail franchising of the failure of the East Coast franchise, including for the competitiveness of the system.

Reports, special reports and government responses

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5th Report - Intercity East Coast Franchise
Inquiry Intercity East Coast rail franchise inquiry
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HC 891
Report
Response to this report
5th Special Report - Intercity East Coast franchise: Government Response to the Committee's Fifth Report
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HC 1729
Special Report
5th Special Report - Intercity East Coast franchise: Government Response to the Committee's Fifth Report
Inquiry Intercity East Coast rail franchise inquiry
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HC 1729
Special Report

Correspondence

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Letter from Chris Grayling MP to Chair re East Cost Main Line Upgrade 23-7-2018
Inquiry Intercity East Coast rail franchise inquiry
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Correspondence

Oral evidence transcripts

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24 July 2018
Inquiry Intercity East Coast rail franchise inquiry
Witnesses Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, Department for Transport
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Oral Evidence
16 July 2018
Inquiry Intercity East Coast rail franchise inquiry
Witnesses Martin Griffiths, Chief Executive, and Neil Micklethwaite, Commercial and Business Development Director, Stagecoach Group, Jo Kaye, Managing Director, System Operator, and Rob McIntosh, Route Managing Director, London North Eastern and East Midlands, Network Rail; Polly Payne, Director General of Rail Group, Beatrice Filkin, Intercity Market Lead, and Simon Smith, Director for Policy, Operations and Change in Passenger Services, Department for Transport.
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Oral Evidence
21 May 2018
Inquiry Intercity East Coast rail franchise inquiry
Witnesses Iryna Terlecky, Director, TBI Consulting Ltd, Nicola Wood, Director, UK Rail Advisory LtdThe Rt Hon the Lord Adonis, Elaine Holt, Former Chief Executive, Directly Operated Railways
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Oral Evidence

Written evidence

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Paul Woodhams (ECR0019)
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Andrew Marsay (ECR0018)
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Dr Luke Butler (ECR0017)
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Other publications

No other publications published.

Contact us

Please note: The Transport Committee examines policy issues relating to the Department for Transport and its associated bodies. It is unable to investigate, or adjudicate on, individual cases.

  • Email: transcom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 2226/ Text relay: 18001 020 2226 (general enquiries) | 020 7219 8895 (media enquiries)
  • Address: Transport Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA/ Twitter: @TransportCttee