January 2014
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Bike/Rail Scotland : update

We now have email contacts enabling you to contact bidders for the ScotRail franchise – and it is important that you do so! …

Five companies are bidding to take over the ScotRail franchise as from March 2015.  The outcome will have a big impact on bike/rail conditions throughout Scotland for the next 10 years, and so it could hardly be more important.

This is a huge opportunity for a step change in bike/rail provision in Scotland – and the bidders need to know that many people agree.   Spokes has been working very hard on this ever since the re-franchising was announced – see our recent news item.

Due in part to the lobbying by ourselves and others, and as explained in the above news item, the Scottish Government has already said that one consideration in deciding the franchisee will be their proposals for improving bike/rail conditions, rules and infrastructure.

Spokes has already written to all the bidders and we are now meeting each of them individually.  Our case will be helped if concerned individuals and other relevant groups write too.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

  • Read our letter to the bidders [pdf 131k]
  • If the future of bike/rail concerns you, please send your own email – the addresses are below.  A short letter would be excellent – for example 2 or 3 main points and particularly any issues about the train service and/or station that you use, for work, leisure or holiday.   There is no need for individuals to send long comprehensive submissions.
  • If you are involved in another relevant organisation ask them to write too – for example, a cycle group, a business some of whose staff use bike/rail, or a tourist organisation.
  • For more info or any queries  email our bike/rail person, Ewan Jeffrey.  Contact details here.

[Later – one person who emailed the bidders, as we suggested above, has reported the results on the City Cycling Forum here.   Please note that ‘Arbelia’ is misspelt and should be ‘Abellio’].

CONTACTS FOR THE FIVE BIDDERS [email .. website]

  • Abellio .. Michael.connelly@abellio.com .. www.abellio.com
  • Arriva .. millerk@arrivatrains.co.uk .. www.arriva.co.uk
  • FirstGroup .. Tom.MacLachlan@FirstGroup.com .. www.firstgroup.com
  • MTR Corporation .. ScotRailFeedback@mtruk.co.uk .. www.mtr.com.hk/eng/homepage/cust_index.html
  • National Express .. rory.maxwell@nexscotrail.com .. www.nationalexpressgroup.com

 

Comments are closed.