New operators and new rolling stock have brought a splash of colour to Germany's liberalised regional passenger market. They have also arguably greatly improved the level of service on offer. Kevin Smith gauges the views of some of the leading public transport authorities and private concessionaires on the current condition of the market and how they see it developing.
BRITAIN's Department for Transport revealed the list of prequalified bidders on August 19 for the contracts to operate the new Northern and TransPennine Express (TPE) franchises from 2016.
BRITISH infrastructure manager Network Rail announced on August 12 that trial operation has begun using a Bombardier 25kV 50Hz ac class 379 EMU adapted to operate under battery power as part of the Independently-Powered Electric Multiple Unit (IPEMU) project.
BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) announced on April 16 that it has signed a 27-month direct award franchise agreement with Abellio for the Greater Anglia franchise, which covers the operation of around 33.3 million train-km per year on a 1600 route-km network in eastern England.
THE DUTCH province of South Holland has selected Netherlands Railways (NS) and its German subsidiary Abellio Regio NRW to operate regional passenger services on the electrified line between Gouda – Alphen-aan-den-Rijn.
BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded Northern a so-called "direct award" franchise for 22 months.
FIRST Capital Connect has been awarded a six-month extension to its Thameslink franchise while Britain's Department for Transport (DfT) assesses the bids from five companies for a new larger franchise which is due to start in September.
SCOTTISH transport minister Mr Keith Brown confirmed on November 1 that five companies have been shortlisted to run the new ScotRail franchise, which will commence in 2015, while three are bidding to operate the Caledonian Sleeper service.
GERMAN Rail (DB) subsidiary DB Regio is to take on the operation of the Mid-German S-Bahn Network Lot 2 concession after the winning bidder Abellio decided to withdraw from the contract with the states of Saxony Anhalt and Brandenburg and Leipzig area transport authority ZVNL.
ABELLIO Rail NRW signed a contract with Stadler Pankow on June 12 for a fleet of 20 five-car Flirt emus, which will be used on the Dutch-German Lower Rhine Network from December 2016.