CURRENT operator First Group is to continue to run Great Western train services until 2019 after being awarded a new three-and-a-half year contract, it was reported tonight.

The company, which has operated express services in Oxfordshire, the Thames Valley, the Cotswolds the West of England and South Wales since 1998 and took over other services in the region from Thames Trains in 2004, will now be in charge until the spring of 2019.

The new agreement will see the franchise through the electrification of the routes between London and Oxford, Bristol and South Wales between 2016 and 2018 and the introduction of new fleets of electric express and suburban trains.

The Department of Transport is understood to believe it would have been too disruptive to hold a competitive tendering exercise for a new franchise during this period.

Our top stories

Refranchising for Great Western services was aborted last year after the collapse of the refranchising process for the West Coast Main Line amid concerns over DfT officials' handling of the bids.

As a result, First Group was awarded a two-year contract to operate Great Western services, running from September last year until September next year, while the Government considered options for the future.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told The Guardian newspaper: “As part of the Government’s long-term economic plan I want to see rail travel in the South West transformed. That is why we are delivering a huge programme of electrification and new, modern trains bringing faster, more comfortable and more reliable journeys.

“First Great Western is best placed to help to deliver these projects over the next four years.

“Throughout this period we will continually be looking at new ways to improve the service for passengers.”

  • Network Rail has apologised to passengers after major disruption to train services on the Great Western main line between Reading and London Paddington on Monday, when signal cables were damaged during overnight engineering work, and again yesterday, due to problems with signal equipment between Twyford and Maidenhead.

A Network Rail spokesman said tonight: “We are sorry for the problems that have affected train services on the Great Western main line this week. Performance has been well below the standards passengers deserve and expect.

“We are acutely aware of the frustration and inconvenience felt by passengers when things go wrong. We are working constantly across the rail network to improve the reliability of train services, investing billions over the next five years across the West's rail network to improve signalling, replace old equipment and bring in new modern technology and new trains to provide more reliable train services."

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.