Devolution of rail services in the North East of England took a step forward this week as a new rail management board met for the first time to monitor performance and oversee investment in stations and new trains.
The North East Rail Management Board sees the region’s two combined authorities and two county councils working together to hold to account franchisee Arriva on the North East part of the Northern rail franchise.
The new Board oversees Northern rail services from Newcastle
At the Board’s first meeting on Tuesday (4 October) council leaders discussed a timetable for new investment in rail services.
The deal that saw the new Northern franchise let this year included a commitment from the Government and Arriva to replace outdated Pacer trains and invest to improve waiting facilities for passengers.
The Board also directly monitors day-to-day performance and works with Northern to market rail travel, introduce more frequent services and develop plans for new stations and routes.
Cllr Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle City Council and lead member for transport at the North East Combined Authority (NECA), said: ‘This marks a turning point for local rail as for the first time we can hold a franchise to account directly for the services they provide, here in our region.
‘Rail devolution is about delivering real benefits for passengers through replacing the notorious Pacer trains, introducing more frequent services and making stations better places.'
As well as replacement of the Pacer fleet by 2020 and a share of £38m investment across the whole franchise in stations it manages, Northern’s promises to improve rail services in the region include free wifi with on-demand entertainment and real-time information on all trains by 2020 and the roll-out of the region’s ‘Pop’ smart ticketing to local trains.
The North East Rail Management Board was established as part of a devolution agreement between the Department for Transport and local authorities across the north, working together through the Rail North Partnership, and includes NECA, the Tees Valley Combined Authority and representatives from Cumbria and North Yorkshire County Councils.
Following the collapse last month of the wider NECA devolution deal, the minority three councils that voted to take the deal forward – Northumberland, North Tyneside and Newcastle – have said that they have ‘begun to consider what could be achieved for our region through working together’ and will seek to explore a new deal with Government
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