23.05.14
DfT on job hunt for leader of new Office of Rail Passenger Services
The search for the managing director of the new Office of Rail Passenger Services (ORPS) within the DfT begins on Sunday, Clare Moriarty has revealed.
Moriarty, the director general of the Rail Executive within the department, speaking at Infrarail yesterday, said the recruitment process is getting underway now to ensure the new body is ready to begin work later this year.
ORPS’ responsibilities will include the delivery of the franchise programme and the management of existing franchises.
But, after a question from RTM, she denied that the DfT has gone cool on the idea of devolution of rail franchising, although the deal it now has with Rail North constitutes a partnership rather than hand-over of power, and the West Midlands authorities have been rebuffed.
Moriarty used Infrarail to praise the achievements of the rail supply chain, which was of course well-represented at the three-day show.
She outlined the changes within the DfT that led to the creation of the Rail Executive, and said: “It’s change that I hope will make us stronger and better partners.”
But she said it was not about “fixing something that was broken”, but about building on success.
The franchising programme is “truly back on track” after the West Coast crisis in 2012, she said.
The invitations to tender for the franchises currently being procured, such as TSGN (which on Friday went to Govia) and Essex Thameside, include explicit evaluation of non-financial factors, allowing for a greater analysis of quality and customer service aspects of the bids. The DfT has been spending more time with the bidders, at events like ‘bidder days’, to ensure all parties understand exactly what is wanted from the franchise.
She said innovation is vital, and that it has been given a higher weighting for the East Coast, Northern and TransPennine franchise competitions, including the ring-fencing of 1% of revenue for research and development.
She spoke of the vital importance of spreading enthusiasm for rail to the next generation – as the UK Rail Industry Training Trust is doing – and the importance of the National Training Academy for Traction and Rolling Stock.
More coverage from Moriarty’s speech, and from Infrarail 2014 as a whole, in the June/July edition of RTM.
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