STAGECOACH GROUP PLC 03 Sep 2014
- 150 new train carriages will deliver major boost in capacity at South West Trains
- Investment will provide for more than 24,000 extra peak-time passengers
- Contract award agreed with Department for Transport, Siemens and Angel Trains
- 140 new jobs created in boost for rail sector employment
- Comprehensive plans developed by South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance in response to the Department for Transport's Rail Investment Strategy
- Plans to accommodate growth also include major infrastructure improvements
Plans for a £210m fleet of new trains to benefit passengers on the UK's busiest commuter rail franchise moved forward today (3 September 2014) as South West Trains announced its intention to award the contract to manufacturer Siemens and leasing company Angel Trains.
The 30 new five-carriage Desiro City trains will boost capacity on services at South West Trains, providing for more than 18,000 extra peak-time passengers every day travelling into London Waterloo, the country's busiest station. The train order will also allow for a further 6,000 daily peak-time passengers once infrastructure upgrades are completed on the mainline and Hounslow loop.
The first of the 150 new carriages will begin arriving in 2017 and all will be in service by early 2018.
Around 140 new jobs will also be created as a result of the new trains order. New employment opportunities will be available for engineers, drivers, guards and maintenance staff in a further boost for the rail sector.
The new trains will be maintained by South West Trains at Wimbledon depot, which has recently benefitted from £6 million worth of investment to deliver improved maintenance facilities and with further investment planned.
The latest investment agreed with the Department for Transport comes as South West Trains continues the roll-out of a £65 million investment in 108 additional refurbished carriages for the network. Combined with the order for new trains, this will deliver a total peak-time capacity increase of around 30% by 2018.
Over the last two decades, the number of passengers using South West Trains services has increased by more than 100% and now over 222 million passenger journeys are made on the network every year. Services are particularly busy at peak times.
The new train order is part of a comprehensive five-year plan developed by the Alliance to transform services for passengers, incorporating longer platforms, full re-opening of platforms at the former Waterloo International Terminal and other associated infrastructure improvements.
Tim Shoveller, Chief Executive for the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, said: "These exciting plans will deliver the biggest step-change in capacity and service to our customers on the network in decades.
"As well as providing extra space for passengers using our services now, the combination of investment in the infrastructure and these new trains will create space at Waterloo that is the essential first step to allow an increase in capacity for our longer distance, mainline services. We will also continue to work with industry partners to develop options for the longer term.
"The unique Alliance between South West Trains and Network Rail means that we have been able to work together to deliver an effective and value for money solution to a complex challenge that also involves major infrastructure improvements at the UK's busiest station. This is a great example of one of the major benefits that can be offered by working in partnership and it will ultimately deliver capacity for over 24,000 additional peak-time passengers every day."
Rail Minister Claire Perry said: "More passengers are travelling on our railways than ever before and to meet the demand for extra seats and services over £38 billion will be spent on the railways during the next five years. This latest new train deal is proof not only of our determination to transform Britain's railways but also the industry's commitment to deliver a better journey for Britain's passengers."
"These new trains will not only deliver significant benefits to passengers by boosting capacity, it will also stimulate economic growth through better connections along some of Britain's busiest routes and create 140 new jobs in the rail industry. This is good news for rail passengers and for the UK economy."
Malcolm Brown, Chief Executive Officer for Angel Trains, said: "We are delighted to be able to procure and lease the Siemens Desiro City Trains to Stagecoach South Western Trains. As well as complementing Angel Trains' diverse portfolio of over 4,500 vehicles, the new EMUs will provide a value-for-money and flexible solution to enable South West Trains to improve rail services for its passengers.
"Growth in passenger volume in the capital is expected to continue in the future and we are committed to working with train operators and the Department for Transport to find effective solutions. Investment in new carriages for South West Trains helps to alleviate further strain on the capital's rail network for the next 10-15 years."
Steve Scrimshaw, Managing Director, Siemens Rail Systems, said: "The new Desiro City trains will transform the lives of passengers travelling on south-western England's rail network. Those passengers already benefit from some of the UK's best-loved trains, the Desiro UK, but the Desiro City takes the best and makes it even better. No other train in the UK is as technologically advanced and offers as many benefits in terms of passenger environment, capacity and reliability. This is a clear example of our country, the Department for Transport and the South West Trains - Network Rail Alliance leading the way, responding to passenger needs and network growth and making a significant investment into the future."
The new second generation Desiro City trains being provided by Siemens are similar in style to the Class 700 units being produced for the Thameslink route.
They will be used to operate ten carriage trains on the busy Waterloo to Windsor services, allowing a cascade of trains across the network to ultimately deliver significant extra capacity on other key routes into London Waterloo. Longer trains will run from Staines through to Bracknell, Ascot and Reading and on a number of mainline services from Basingstoke to London Waterloo.
Ten carriage services will be introduced on the main suburban network for the first time, benefitting passengers travelling to stations such as Kingston, Epsom, Hampton Court and Guildford via Cobham.
Major infrastructure improvements will first need to be completed at London Waterloo to enable the introduction of the new fleet of trains. The plans include bringing the remaining four platforms of the former Waterloo International Terminal back into full use and then extending Platforms 1-4 to accommodate longer 10-carriage trains. Track, signalling and electrical power improvements will also be carried out to maximise the benefits of the platform developments and further investment will be made in depot facilities to cater for the additional carriages.
The project is being managed by Stagecoach South Western Trains. In accordance with usual procurement practice, there will be a standstill period of 10 days before Stagecoach South Western Trains will be in a position to enter into, and complete, the formal contractual documentation and make the award to the successful tenderers and enter into an amendment to the current Franchise Agreement. The process is expected to be finalised in the next two weeks.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Photo caption - An artist's impression of a new Desiro City train
For media enquiries, please contact:
- South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance - Emma Knight on 07771 830995/01738 442111 or email media@stagecoachgroup.com
- Department for Transport on 0207 944 4671
- Siemens - Steven Coventry on 07808 824407/email steven.coventry@siemens.com or Emma Whitaker on 07912 246942/email emma.whitaker@siemens.com
- Angel Trains - Georgiana Haig on 0207 932 1875/georgiana.haig@grayling.com or Leah Bryant on 07940 220 754/leah.bryant@grayling.com
About the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance
The South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance was formed on 29 April 2012 with the aim of delivering an improved service for passengers with faster, more customer-focused decision-making. It is the first of its kind in the UK and is a step towards delivering a more efficient and cost effective railway for the long term. Train services operated by the Alliance are some of the busiest commuter train services in the UK. Over 2,000 passenger and freight services run on the network every day and the route covers 643 miles of track, with 1375 sets of points and 4394 signals.
About Siemens
Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 170 years ago and now employs 13,760 people in the UK. Last year's revenues were £3.36 billion*. As the world's largest engineering company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world's major challenges across the key sectors of energy, industry, infrastructure & cities and healthcare. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company's global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk
* Data includes intercompany revenue. Data may not be comparable with revenue reported in annual or interim reports
About Desiro City Trains
The technologically advanced Desiro City train is the UK's first, second generation train. Designed specifically to meet the demands of growth of our busy rail network, the Desiro City builds on the success of the popular Desiro UK to turn proven capabilities into the train of the future. The innovative design incorporates the feedback of UK train operators, train crew, cleaners and maintainers, as well as dedicated passenger research, to create a platform that is more reliable, offers a great passenger environment and is more energy efficient than existing rolling stock. Their lightweight design will mean less wear and tear on the tracks, saving money in maintaining the network over the long term and helping to realise future improvement plans.
About Angel Trains
Angel Trains is one of Britain's leading train leasing companies and has been an owner and lessor of rolling stock since 1994. It is unique in leasing to all 19 franchised operators and open access operators in the UK.
Angel Trains is passionate about financing and delivering high quality, modern assets to its customers and is committed to working with the Government, the Rail Delivery Group ("RDG") and other stakeholders to provide innovative funding solutions to modernise and improve the UK's train fleet.
Angel Trains has invested £3.4 billion in new rolling stock and refurbishment programmes since 1994 are the second largest private investor in the industry, after Network Rail.
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