Franchise News

London Midland has received an extension to continue operating its West Midlands franchise services until at least December 2017, the company has announced. The Department for Transport (DfT) had been due to announce the winner of the new franchise agreement,...

The Welsh Government and Arriva Trains Wales are investing in five Class 319 Flex bi-mode trains. Due to arrive next year, the four-car trains will be leased from Porterbrook thanks to £1.9 million from the Welsh Government and £1 million...

The UK's Department for Transport (DfT) has published bidder shortlists for both the West Coast Partnership (WCP), which will incorporate the first HS2 services, and future South Eastern franchise agreements. The WCP will replace the current InterCity West Coast franchise...

New South Western franchise operators FirstGroup and MTR have signed an £895 million contract with Bombardier for the supply and maintenance of 90 new Aventra trains. The new trains, which will be supplied in five and 10-car configurations, will be...

Locomore’s recent insolvency is a reminder of the difficulties facing new train operating companies. That is the message from ALLRAIL, an association which represents non-incumbent freight operators and open access passenger operators. Locomore was a crowdfunded German TOC that began operating...

First MTR South Western Trains has beaten the incumbent operator, Stagecoach, to the new South West Trains franchise. The new contract, which runs for seven years from August 2017, promises to add tens of thousands of extra peak-time seats into...

Arriva, Stagecoach and First Trenitalia have been shortlisted for the new East Midlands rail franchise. In 2015, the end date of the current franchise agreement with Stagecoach was extended from October 18 that year to March 2018. This deadline has...

National Express has announced an agreement in principle to sell c2c to Italy's state-owned rail operator, Trenitalia. C2c, which was awarded a new 15-year contract for the Essex Thameside franchise in 2014, will become Trenitalia's first foray into the UK's train...

Arriva-owned Alliance Rail Holdings has launched a consultation into its plans for a new open access rail service between Southampton and London Waterloo. The service, which would begin in December 2017, would initially include seven off-peak trains, adding two peak...

A new rail franchise has been created which will combine both the InterCity West Coast franchise and HS2, the UK government has announced. The West Coast Partnership franchise will start in 2019 and will incorporate HS2 services when the line...