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<p>The Department for Transport ran a public consultation to help inform the specification
for the new Northern and TransPennine Express franchises, and received over 21,000
responses; a summary of these have been published on the Government’s website.</p><p>
</p><p>The Invitation To Tender for the Northern franchise has specified the replacement
of Pacers (which are currently used) on services between Huddersfield and Sheffield)
by the start of 2020, and other rolling stock used on the franchise will be subject
to a substantial refurbishment. It also specifies an increase in the Sunday service
provision on this route by December 2017. Our process for evaluating franchise bids
encourages bidders to exceed the minimum specifications we state, and the bids themselves
are due in to the Department by 26 June. We are due to announce the outcome towards
the end of the year.</p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial"> <p><ins class="ministerial">This
quesiton was inadvertently grouped with question 2332.</ins></p><p><br /></p></ins></p><p>
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