Surface Transport Strategy Group Presentation Wednesday 4 th March 2015 Anthony Rissbrook - Managing Director - Hillgate Travel STSG Chair.

Surface Transport Strategy Group Presentation

Wednesday 4th March 2015Anthony Rissbrook - Managing Director - Hillgate TravelSTSG Chair

STSG Objectives

“To demonstrate and reinforce to rail and all other surface transport suppliers the value and necessity for third party selling and distribution versus direct channels and to lobby for parity on price, availability and content (to satisfy our customer requirements)”

Our Surface Transport PartnersGROUND TRANSPORTATIONCAR RAIL TICKETING SYSTEMS

PARKING

RAIL

Planned Agenda for the Year

March 12th 10.30 am Trainline Update and Strategy

May 12th 10.30 am All 3 GDS invited to present rail strategy and content strategy for other surface transport suppliers

July 7th 10.30 am Avis and possibly Diamond Air

September 8th 10.30 am FGW, East Coast/Stagecoach, Virgin

November 24th 10.30 am Chiltern and offers to other partners “open”

* Silverail meeting requested due to demand to know more…………

ATOC Consultations - Ongoing

Announcements from ATOC last September regarding commission plans for 2016-2019

Request for more consultation

Small group formed to (1) outline concerns (2) explain business models (3) explore options for increasing revenues

HRG, CWT, Capita, Statesman, Co-operative and Virgin, East Coast, Stagecoach, Chiltern and ATOC

Full Service TMC model explained – comparisons with rail only TMC made

3 Fundamental Observations and Differences

Limited SMA/override incentives in place

No net fare opportunities

Very high distribution/ticketing costs – as opposed to GDS incentives for selling air and hotel content

Exploring options in all 3 areas to see what can be done

Most interactive consultations with ATOC and TOCs in many years

Considerable potential for TMC rail marketing to grow - if “commercials” are right

GTMC manifesto messages concerning rail market

“If there is a single message in the GTMC manifesto…….- What we are asking for is a level playing field, to be freed of the self-imposed barriers to trade, competitiveness and productivity that will allow business to venture into the global market without one arm tied behind it’s back”

Strongly in Support of :

Rebalancing the UK economy – North and South, West and East

Supporter of HS2 and HS3

Linking HS2 to Heathrow or it is HS1.5……

Approval of more open access operations on mainline routes to promote competition and innovation

Maintaining pressure on ATOC to ensure clarity in fares and do more to reduce the cost of last minute rail travel

Improving productivity for travellers – Wifi on trains and in stations

Removing mobile “not-spots”

Actively involved in Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) Review

Lobbying advisors to the DFT

As well as ATOC and TOCs

In Summary

Lots going on!

Good meeting strategy for 2015

In the thick of “consultation and negotiation” with ATOC

Providing value to our partners – all surface transport – not just rail!

Providing knowledge and insight to our members

So “be there or be square”

Only ATPi, CTM, Key, Reed and Mackay, Statesman, TMG, Baxter Hoare and Capita are regular attendees………