|
Pages: [1] 2
|
 |
|
 Author
|
Topic: North East Regional Planning Assessment For The Railway (Read 7882 times)
|
|
Lee
|
Here is a parliamentary written answer on this topic. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060511/text/60511w05.htmChris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many (a) members of departmental staff and (b) external consultants were employed to research and write the North East regional planning assessment for the railway; [68876] (2) what the total cost was of (a) preparing and (b) producing the North East regional planning assessment. [68877] Derek Twigg: The preparation and writing of the draft North East regional planning assessment (RPA) was carried out by a single consultancy firm procured by the Strategic Rail Authority at a fee cost of £224,997 (including VAT). Data for the exact number of consultants employed is not available. Andrew Griffiths , who is the First's Regional Manager for the Severn / Solent area and should know , is quoted as saying that the cost of leasing a class 153 unit for a year is £150,000. This means that the cost of paying a consultantcy firm to produce a report on the railways is actually £74,997 more than the cost of leasing a train for a year. However , the £150,000 figure does not include the extra costs such as train crew etc. Thats not a problem if we look at the link below. http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=2&ReleaseID=187845The North East Regional Planning Assessment is the 2nd in a series of 11 covering England & Wales. Assuming that the 2 completed RPA's make the running total £449,994 already spent , then the remaining 9 will cost in total £2,024,973. Although future planning & strategy is indeed important , surely we could find a better use for this money. For example , traffic levels on the line between Swindon and Westbury have risen by 100% in the last 3 years , and the Southampton - Westbury shuttle will cost a reported £1,000,000. Diverting the money saved by scrapping the remaining RPA's would buy 2 Southampton - Westbury shuttles , thus comfortably making the restoration of the Southampton - Swindon service both possible & affordable. I think that we would all agree that providing train services is a higher priority than producing reports into providing train services. Therefore , I can recommend this to Douglas Alexander as the perfect funding solution which would provide a win-win situation for both Melksham and the DfT. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Graham Ellis
|
Geeze, Lee ... I could scream at times when I see the amount of money that gets spent on project XXXXX or consultants on YYYYY - I certainly question whether there's excessive money spent on decision making and reporting at times. And there's so many other cases too such as the Skye Bridge where the Guardian asked "Why have we paid £93m for a £15m bridge?". I've heard a figure of 5 million pounds per annum quoted as the cost of saving ALL of the services threatened. In the 10 year life of the Great Western franchise, that's 50 million. In other words, with a bid of 1.08 billion rather than 1.13 billion, First could have saved EVERY SINGLE SERVICE that they've been running around / defending cuts in over the past few months. Considering that the bid from First was far higher than the DfT expected ( link), it could be argued that First group, in their anxiety to win the franchise, chose to sacrifise the services to Melksham, Severn Beach, Looe, Ivybridge, Newquay, etc, to fund a bad business decision they made. Although they claim to be "just the contractor operating the service", it's really not that simple! These points were put to a Director of First Great Western at the recent RailFuture meeting in Swindon, but was not answered. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Graham Ellis
|
P.S. Lee - I note your comment that you'll recommend this to Douglas Alexander as a good solution. Excellent idea. Have you contacted him to let him know  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Lee
|
Link to Jacobs Consultancy website. http://www.jacobsconsultancy.co.uk/key_staff_ANichols.shtmlIt would appear that Jacobs were the consultants hired for the Kent and the West Midlands Regional Planning Assessments. Hang on. I dont recall either of those RPA's having been published yet. Surely the SRA havent spent the money already? That would make the running total spent so far on RPA's £899,988 By coincidence , Jacobs' Deputy Managing Director was the former Director of Strategic Planning at the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (from which the SRA was formed.) Jacobs' Deputy Managing Director also provided technical advice on three Franchise competitions. Jacobs were the Technical Advisor to the Strategic Rail Authority and the Department of Transport for the specification and procurement of the rail franchise for the Greater Western Area. http://www.jacobsconsultancy.co.uk/pdfs/rail_greatwestern.pdf |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Lee
|
I've heard a figure of 5 million pounds per annum quoted as the cost of saving ALL of the services threatened. In the 10 year life of the Great Western franchise, that's 50 million. In other words, with a bid of 1.08 billion rather than 1.13 billion, First could have saved EVERY SINGLE SERVICE that they've been running around / defending cuts in over the past few months. Considering that the bid from First was far higher than the DfT expected ( link), it could be argued that First group, in their anxiety to win the franchise, chose to sacrifise the services to Melksham, Severn Beach, Looe, Ivybridge, Newquay, etc, to fund a bad business decision they made. Although they claim to be "just the contractor operating the service", it's really not that simple! These points were put to a Director of First Great Western at the recent RailFuture meeting in Swindon, but was not answered. First's adjusted pretax profit for the year to March 31 was 176.4 million pounds. This was just over 5 million pounds more than analysts expected. http://today.reuters.com/business/newsArticle.aspx?type=basicIndustries&storyID=nWLB9328 |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Graham Ellis
|
Yes, Lee, I do see elements of hope. Some influential people are pushing / talking ... and I'm finding much more high level support. We may see some more actions / meetings / pushings soon.
In the meantime, it's fabulous if people can let their councillors, MP, GOSW in Bristol and the DfT (names on the web site) know that they are stiil concerned / disgusted at the short straw that seems to have been dealt to Swindon - Southampton and Melksham
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lee
|
It would appear that Jacobs were the consultants hired for the Kent and the West Midlands Regional Planning Assessments.
Hang on. I dont recall either of those RPA's having been published yet. Surely the SRA havent spent the money already? That would make the running total spent so far on RPA's £899,988 Here is an unrelated SRA-based article. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8210-2196313,00.html |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lee
|
Here is a parliamentary written answer on this topic. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060511/text/60511w05.htmChris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many (a) members of departmental staff and (b) external consultants were employed to research and write the North East regional planning assessment for the railway; [68876] (2) what the total cost was of (a) preparing and (b) producing the North East regional planning assessment. [68877] Derek Twigg: The preparation and writing of the draft North East regional planning assessment (RPA) was carried out by a single consultancy firm procured by the Strategic Rail Authority at a fee cost of £224,997 (including VAT). Data for the exact number of consultants employed is not available. Andrew Griffiths , who is the First's Regional Manager for the Severn / Solent area and should know , is quoted as saying that the cost of leasing a class 153 unit for a year is £150,000. This means that the cost of paying a consultantcy firm to produce a report on the railways is actually £74,997 more than the cost of leasing a train for a year. However , the £150,000 figure does not include the extra costs such as train crew etc. Thats not a problem if we look at the link below. http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=2&ReleaseID=187845The North East Regional Planning Assessment is the 2nd in a series of 11 covering England & Wales. Assuming that the 2 completed RPA's make the running total £449,994 already spent , then the remaining 9 will cost in total £2,024,973. Although future planning & strategy is indeed important , surely we could find a better use for this money. For example , traffic levels on the line between Swindon and Westbury have risen by 100% in the last 3 years , and the Southampton - Westbury shuttle will cost a reported £1,000,000. Diverting the money saved by scrapping the remaining RPA's would buy 2 Southampton - Westbury shuttles , thus comfortably making the restoration of the Southampton - Swindon service both possible & affordable. I think that we would all agree that providing train services is a higher priority than producing reports into providing train services. Therefore , I can recommend this to Douglas Alexander as the perfect funding solution which would provide a win-win situation for both Melksham and the DfT. Here is a link to a recent Parliamentary Written Question related to this issue. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060706/text/60706w1492.htm#column_1268WChris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much it has cost to research, write and publish each of the Regional Planning Assessments for the railways. [79920] Derek Twigg: Two Regional Planning Assessments for the railway (RPAs) have been published: the North East and Eastern RPAs. The total costs were £231,900 and £257,266 respectively (including VAT). |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Lee
|
Quite a few Regional Planning Assessment For The Railway - related Parliamentary Written Questions coming up :
Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what opportunities he has provided to hon. Members to contribute to consultations on regional planning assessments for the railways.
Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish submissions received from (a) elected councils, (b) passenger transport authorities and (c) regional assemblies before the publication of regional planning assessments for the railways.
Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consultations he has held with passenger transport authorities over regional planning assessment for railways.
Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what formal opportunities local councils have had to contribute to consultations about regional planning assessments for the railway.
Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what opportunities elected members of local authorities on regional assemblies have had to contribute to consultations on regional planning assessments for railways.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: October 23, 2006, 12:54:38 PM by Lee »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1] 2
|
|
|
 |
