Brown review of franchising – Passenger Focus response

12 December 2012

Much of the debate about the future of rail franchises centres on structures and financing – now Passenger Focus is calling for the debate to consider the passenger’s point of view.

The recent stalling of the rail franchise replacement process, the granting of an extension for Virgin, the Department for Transport enquiry into the West Coast franchise process and the forthcoming Brown review all shine a light on this process. This is important but looking at process alone risks ignoring the most important piece in the jigsaw – passengers.

It is passengers who use services and pay fares and who have a fundamental interest in any new franchise; and yet those same passengers probably have the least say in what is provided or proposed on their behalf.

This letter forms our submission to the Brown review and looks at franchising from a passenger perspective, asking how the passenger voice can be better heard within the debate.