Business
Essex Thameside franchise successfully retained
Essex Thameside franchise successfully retained.
About this update from Mobico Group Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \nRNS Number : 7196K National Express Group PLC 27 June 2014 \n \n\n27 June 2014\nNational Express Group PLC\nNational Express successfully retains Essex Thameside franchise \n \nWelcoming today's announcement from the Department for Transport ('DfT'), National Express Group ('National Express' or 'the Group') is delighted that it has successfully retained the Essex Thameside franchise. National Express, which currently operates the line as c2c, will continue to run the service from 9 November 2014 until 2029.\n \nUnder National Express the c2c service has radically improved from the 'Misery Line' into the most punctual train operator in the UK. In the new 15 year franchise c2c will be transformed again, with new trains, extra services and a ground-breaking Personal Performance Promise at the heart of a Passenger Charter that will put it at the forefront of international standards of customer service. \n \nHighlights\n \n· New and refurbished trains: 68 new additional carriages and a significant upgrade to the existing fleet;\n· Extra services: An extra 438 services into and out of London every week from December 2015, delivering 20% additional trains on a weekday and over 21% more at the weekend. By the end of the franchise there will be 25,000 additional seats serving London in the morning peak every week;\n· Ground-breaking performance commitment: a revolutionary Personal Performance Promise that will provide automatic compensation for delays over 2 minutes for registered users;\n· A new Passenger Charter:guaranteeing excellent customer services, including a right to be sold the cheapest ticket, detailed personalised travel information and service performance reports and a commitment that every station will be staffed from the first train until the last service;\n· New tickets to meet customer demand:including new smartcards, flexible season tickets, carnets, new discounted advanced fares and new discounts for senior and local student travel; \n· Station investment: £33 million investment in stations, including making c2c the first fully accessible UK rail franchise and installing free to use Wi-Fi providing seamless coverage on board and at the station.\n...