Rail franchising

Information on each passenger rail franchise for bidders, passengers and stakeholders.

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Guidance and regulation

• Public register of rail passenger contracts
  • Detailed guide
  • 30 March 2023
  • Department for Transport
• First Greater Western 2022 rail contract
  • Guidance
  • 13 March 2024
  • Department for Transport
• West Midlands Trains Limited 2021 rail contract
  • Guidance
  • 4 April 2024
  • Department for Transport
• Passenger service contracts
  • Detailed guide
  • 13 October 2021
  • Department for Transport
• Abellio East Anglia Limited 2021 rail contract
  • Guidance
  • 12 July 2023
  • Department for Transport

See more guidance and regulation in this topic

News and communications

• West Coast Partnership and Cross Country rail operator direct awards
  • 19 September 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Written statement
• Avanti West Coast awarded long-term contract after significant improvements for passengers
  • 19 September 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • News story
• Transpennine Express's contract will not be renewed or extended
  • 11 May 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Oral statement
• Transpennine Express to be brought into operator of last resort
  • 11 May 2023
  • Department for Transport and DfT OLR Holdings Limited
  • News story
• Avanti West Coast contract extended for a further 6 months following recent service improvements
  • 20 March 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • News story

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Research and statistics

• Blake Jones review: Rail North partnership review
  • 19 July 2019
  • Department for Transport
  • Research
• Current railway models (Great Britain and overseas): an evidence paper
  • 29 April 2019
  • Department for Transport
  • Research
• The role of the railway in Great Britain: an evidence paper
  • 26 February 2019
  • Department for Transport
  • Research
• Southern Rail network: Gibb report
  • 22 June 2017
  • Department for Transport
  • Independent report
• Brown review of the rail franchising programme: supplement
  • 31 January 2013
  • Department for Transport
  • Independent report

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Policy papers and consultations

• Cross Country rail franchise
  • 29 August 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 30 August 2018
• Train operators: changes to charges and contractual incentives
  • 28 October 2022
  • Office of Rail and Road
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 09 March 2017
• Pay-as-you-go on rail
  • 19 May 2022
  • Department for Transport
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 01 May 2019
• Draft Rail Reform Bill
  • 20 February 2024
  • Department for Transport
  • Policy paper
• Great British Railways: Williams-Shapps plan for rail
  • 14 December 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Policy paper

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

• Train operating companies: Passenger’s Charter compensation
  • 16 November 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Transparency
• DfT payments to passenger rail operators under emergency agreements and National Rail contracts
  • 27 April 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Transparency
• Tax policy for DOHL and its subsidiaries
  • 25 March 2020
  • DfT OLR Holdings Limited and Department for Transport
  • Corporate report
• Rail franchises: operational performance figures and benchmarks
  • 20 July 2017
  • Department for Transport
  • Transparency
• Rail subsidy per passenger mile
  • 13 October 2016
  • Department for Transport
  • Transparency

See more transparency and freedom of information releases in this topic

Organisations

• Department for Transport
• Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland
• HM Treasury

• DfT OLR Holdings Limited
• High Speed Two (HS2) Limited

Explore sub-topics

• Rail franchise procurement
• Rail franchise public register