Government unveils rail operator shortlist

THE Government has announced the shortlist of companies bidding to run the Northern and TransPennine rail franchises.

The franchises, which carried more than 110 million passengers last year, connect passengers travelling into and between Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester and Newcastle, and onwards to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Northern is currently run by Northern Rail, a 50:50 joint venture between Serco Group and the Dutch rail firm Abellio. The TransPennine service is controlled by First TransPennine Express, owned by FirstGroup (55%) and the French group Keolis (45%).

The contenders for the Northern service are: Abellio Northern, Arriva Rail North, and Govia Northern. For the TransPennine franchise they are: First TransPennine Express; Keolis Go-Ahead; Stagecoach Trans Pennine Express Trains.

The companies will now be asked to develop their plans for the franchises before they receive the Government’s invitation to tender in December. Both franchises are due to be awarded by October 2015.

Rail Minister Claire Perry said: “The north is undergoing a real rail renaissance, and we will be asking these companies to come up with innovative and ambitious proposals that will ensure a truly world-class rail network for the region.

“Building a railway that is fit for the 21st century is a vital part of our long term economic plan, connecting businesses and communities, generating jobs and boosting growth, and we need strong private sector partners to help us achieve this ambition.”