BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded a 15-year contract to operate the Essex Thameside franchise to the current operator of the route National Express.

BRITAIN's Serco Group announced on May 28 that it has been awarded a 15-year contract by Transport Scotland to operate the new Caledonian Sleeper franchise, which will operate overnight services from London to Fort William, Inverness, and Aberdeen from April 2015.

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.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded Northern a so-called "direct award" franchise for 22 months.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport issued an invitation to tender (ITT) on March 20 to the three bidders shortlisted for the contract to operate the InterCity East Coast franchise from March 2015.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) announced the shortlist of bidders on January 17 for the contract to operate the InterCity East Coast franchise for eight or nine years from February 2015.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has published a prior information notice in the Official Journal of the European Union for the direct award of a new contract to Stagecoach for the operation of the South West Trains (SWT) franchise.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has invited bids for the first two passenger rail franchises since the cancellation of the West Coast franchise in October 2012 following the discovery of flaws in the DfT's bid evaluation process.

Following the collapse of the Inter-City West Coast franchise competition last year, the British government is seeking to rebuild trust in a damaged procurement system. Keith Barrow asks Alistair Gordon, CEO of Keolis UK, whether a more robust franchising process might emerge from this crisis.

Scotland has seen ridership increase by more than 30% over the last decade, spurred by the reopening of lines and stations, improved services, and new trains. Transport Scotland director of rail Aidan Grisewood explains to Keith Barrow how planned investment will support further growth.