Franchise Performance Minutes - 2 July 2009

1. STANDING ITEMS AND FRANCHISE PROGRESS 
Minutes of previous meeting accepted.

1.1  Actions from previous Meeting
Wemyss Bay: ScotRail (SR) is now considering further options relating to the management of the station car park.  IJ noted the need to comply with the franchise agreement on charging.                                                    Action Point: DA/JM
   

Highland Mainline: ScotRail has carried out extensive reviews on passenger numbers and counts.  The report outlining these reviews should be with Transport Scotland (TS) within the next 2-3 weeks.

1.2  Progress on Actions from Quarterly Action Plan Report 
HB advised that next step is the pre-meeting arranged with Bill Reeve and will update on outcome from meeting.                                                        Action Point: HB        
 

1.3  Variations, Changes and Priced Options        
IJ: Confirmed that CP4 progressing well, ScotRails finance team looking over figures.  Schedule 4 moving more slowly due to complexity, Transport  Scotland  will be consistent with Dept for Transport (Dft) where possible and will follow principles of contract.

CP3: MP noted that ScotRail are rebenchmarking to make sure CP3 changes occur in the correct order e.g. Larkhall line.
                    
Kilmarnock Priced Option: Call off letter has now been issued and published on Transport Scotlands website as part of the Public Register.  The content of the letter is as agreed between both parties and includes reference to resultant changes to other timetables.

          
1.4  Committed Obligations Delivery  
Haymarket Lifts: JM confirmed proposals still with Edinburgh City Council for  Planning consent.  Further update will be supplied as soon as available -  ongoing.                                                                                                  Action Point:JM          

Queens St – Report: Feasibility report due – JM confirmed report will be supplied to Transport Scotland for end of July.                                                                                             Action Point: JM 

2. COMMERCIAL & PASSENGER ISSUES

2.1  Service Level Commitment Delivery (SLC)
 
Track Access Agreement: MP noted that this had gone out for consultation.  Discussions still ongoing in respect of journey times and calling patterns.   Network Rail  raised an issue on the Capacity Reservation for Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) and Airdrie to Bathgate (A2B), which is still to be resolved.  IJ requested further updates on Network Rail's position on the performance effects for GARL/A2B.                                                                                                                 Action Point: IJ/MP

Timetable conference: JF confirmed minutes being finalised and will send to Transport Scotland as soon as possible.                                                                                                                Action Point: JF

December timetable: Stakeholder process was discussed.  JF agreed that Transport Scotland must be included the process/interactions with ScotRail.  IJ highlighted management of stakeholders expectations also important, achieved through sharing information with stakeholders. The process to be agreed and signed off.
 
Aberdeen/Inverurie: JF looking at temporary proposals for Dec 09 which could be more robust in Dec 2010. 

Lease of 158s still needs resolution.  Transport Scotland has an obligation for ScotRail to lease units from Angel, post 2010.                Action Point: IJ/HB

New trains: Rolling Stock Deployment Plan at interim stage. Number of decisions for Dec 2010 still require agreement. IJ thanked  JF for his work on this plan and looked forward to final submission.

Xmas Service Alignment: Consideration of service provision during festive period is now part of priced option 19 which is looking at proposals that will deliver an overall benefit. 

Dec 2009 timetable:  Offer is due from Network Rail 10 July 2009.  ScotRail has been working closely with Network Rail train planners at Leeds

Timetables:  SLC compliance: As a result of Timetable changes, the 1518 Saturday Only service North Berwick to Edinburgh and Glasgow Central is non-compliant. JF agreed to review this when the Offer is received from Network Rail.                                                                                Action Pont: JF/OHC        

Open Golf (Turnberry): JF confirmed that all was going to plan.  JF to e-mail Transport Scotland with update on full position.                       Action Point: JF
                                      

2.2  Customer Service and Standards
TVM, Customer and Security arrangements: Update from Stewart McCardle which advised that Buy Before You Board would be suspended where TVMs were not available. Transport Scotland will review the update further and will respond back to ScotRail.                                                                          Action Point: IJ
          

Airdrie/Bathgate:  MP confirmed that the Airdrie/Bathgate drivers’ depot will open in December 2009 for training purposes only.  ScotRail and TS need to be involved in discussion on management of the service depot in advance of it becoming operational in 2010.               Action Point: MP

2.3  Public Relations
Zonecard: ScotRail will provide an update to Transport Scotland.

Discussed recent media coverage. Transport Scotland has received unregulated fares update from ScotRail.

Transport Scotland and ScotRail press offices are meeting on 21st July 09 to discuss next Service Quality Incentive Regime Team (SQUIRE) press release on 24 July 2009.  Dates of release via the web going forward have been agreed.

3. PERFORMANCE
 
3.1  Train Service Deliver performance
Not discussed at this meeting.
      
3.2  Financial Performance
Not discussed at this meeting.

4. HUMAN RESOURCES & INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ISSUES
          
4.1  HR issues/Progress
Not discussed at this meeting.

5. Any Other Business (AOB) 

Audit
JM highlighted that First Group’s Audit Team requested for Transport Scotland to formally sign off of all completed obligations As this would include 4 weekly commitments it was  agreed that this would not be workable without additional TS resource.  TS advised that it is a franchise requirement for ScotRail to monitor self-compliance.  It was agreed that ScotRail ask for formal responses for specific obligations. 

Customer Contact Centre
SR highlighted possible forthcoming changes with products through its Customer Contact centre relating to reservations and postage.

Date of Next Meeting
 23 July 2009