Notice

InterCity East Coast rail passenger services: prior information notice

Published 2 April 2024

© Crown copyright 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/intercity-east-coast-rail-passenger-services-prior-information-notice/intercity-east-coast-rail-passenger-services-prior-information-notice

Department for Transport (DfT).

T01: prior information notice (PIN) for public service contract.

Section I: competent authority

I.1 Name and address

Department for Transport
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London SW1P 4DR

Email: railprocurement@dft.gov.uk.

Country

United Kingdom.

NUTS code

UKI32 - Westminster.

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register.

I.2 Information about joint procurement

N/A.

I.3 Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address.

I.4 Type of the competent authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority.

Section II: object

II.1 Scope of the procurement

II.1.1. Title

Contract for InterCity East Coast rail passenger services. Currently operated by London North Eastern Railway Limited (LNER) under DfT OLR Holdings Limited (DOHL).

II.1.2 Main CPV code

60200000 - railway transport services.

II.1.3 Type of contract

Services. Areas covered by the public transport services: rail transport services.

II.2 Description

II.2.2 Additional CPV code(s)

60210000 - public transport services by railways.

II.2.3 Place of performance

NUTS code
  • UK United Kingdom
  • UKC North East (England)
  • UKE Yorkshire and the Humber
  • UKF East Midlands (England)
  • UKH East of England
  • UKI London
  • UKJ South East England
  • UKM Scotland
Main site or place of performance

The InterCity East Coast rail passenger services link London Kings Cross, the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside, North East England and Scotland.

II.2.4 Description of the procurement

Contract for provision of intercity rail passenger services on the UK conventional mainline rail system. It is envisaged the services would run between:

(a) London and Edinburgh. Some services are extended to Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness

(b) London and Leeds. Some services are extended to Bradford, Skipton and Harrogate

(c) London and York. Some services are extended to Middlesbrough

(d) London and Hull

(e) London and Lincoln

(f) London and Newcastle

There is a mixture of leisure, business and commuter travel. These services would be similar to those currently operated under the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) services contract.

A direct award is now envisaged, in line with the Public Service Obligations in Transport Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023 No. 1369).

II.2.5 Award criteria

N/A.

II.2.6 Estimated value

N/A.

II.2.7 Envisaged start date and the duration of the contract

Start date

22 June 2025.

Duration in months

No less than 24 months and a maximum of 60 months.

N/A.

Section IV: procedure

IV.1 Type of procedure

Direct award for railway transport under Regulation 17(1) of the Public Service Obligations in Transport Regulations 2023 (S.I.2023 No.1369).

Section V: award of contract

N/A.

Section VI: complementary information

VI.1 Additional information

It is anticipated that the contract will include a core period of at least 2 years with discretion for the Secretary of State to determine whether, and if so to what extent, the contract will continue beyond that core term, subject to a maximum contract period of 5 years in total.

The competent authority reserves the right not to proceed with the direct award as envisaged or to use an alternative method to procure an operator for the contract.

This pre-award publication is published by the competent authority under Regulation 22 of the Public Service Obligations in Transport Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023 No. 1369), and relates to a direct award of a public service contract concerning transport by rail under Regulation 17(1) of those Regulations. The competent authority reserves the right to amend this notice at any point before the relevant day (as defined in Regulation 22(2) of those Regulations), and to publish a rectification where required to do so.

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