(10 Dec 2015, 8:49 pm)Mark P wrote Imagine that.... a Sapphire 142

Exciting new service from April 1 
 
HELLO xxxx AND WELCOME
 
...to this very special Northern Rail newsletter. The Department for Transport (DfT) announced that Arriva has won the bid to run the next Northern franchise with more than £1 billion being invested in new trains, better stations and services for customers across the north of England.
The next franchise, will come with a new look and lots of exciting developments to look forward to, delivering the following fantastic plans:

removal of all pacer trains by the end of 2019
£400 million investment in 281 brand new air-conditioned carriages - more than double the minimum required in the government's Invitation to Tender.
more than 2,000 extra services each week, with around 400 additional Sunday services, including new direct journeys from Bradford to Wakefield, Sheffield, Nottingham, Liverpool and Hull; from Leeds to Chester and Bridlington; from Lincoln to Leeds; and from Manchester Airport to Warrington, Bradford and Halifax.
nearly a 40% increase in capacity - creating space for 31,000 extra passengers travelling into the five key commuter cities (Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle) of the North during the morning rush-hour.
a new high-quality 'Northern Connect' service, meaning new or refurbished trains on longer-distance services, faster journeys and stations staffed daily with catering services and free Wi-Fi at each one. As well as serving the five key commuter cities, this network will also serve other destinations including Bradford, Halifax, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Lincoln, Worksop and Retford.
improved ticketing, including mobile and print-at-home tickets, and discounted fares for jobseekers.