MP to Probe Proposed Changes to North Herts Rail Services

Following approaches by a number of local passenger groups, North Herts MP Oliver Heald asked an expert researcher at the House of Commons to give further detail on the procedure for considering changes to timetables. In reply it seems that the franchise agreement signed by First Capital Connect in April 2006 stated that First Capital Connect and the Department for Transport should produce a Cambridge Capacity Study. Part of the study proposes timetable changes which are not in the Service Level Agreement (the 'passenger guarantee' part of the franchise agreement). 

First Capital Connect have submitted the study to the Department for Transport, who will make a judgement as to whether some, all, or none of the study should be taken forward. Once the Department has made a decision, and if the timetable changes are part of it, then it will have to go out to public consultation. It is part of the franchise agreement that any change to the Service Level Agreement must be put out to consultation. The consultation period will normally last a minimum of 12 weeks. 

If there are serious objections to the changes in the consultation then the Department for Transport would have to work with First Capital Connect to make changes to the proposals. 

Commenting, Oliver Heald said, "I am meeting First Capital Connect next week, but I shall immediately table a series of Parliamentary Questions to find out how long the Government estimates this process will take, when they aim to go out to consultation and exactly what the implications may be for North Hertfordshire commuters. I shall also request that the study be placed in the House of Commons Library.”