BRITAIN’s Department for Transport (DfT) announced on August 10 that it has awarded a contract to operate the West Midlands franchise to West Midlands Trains, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abellio Transport Group with East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Mitsui as minority partners.

ABELLIO has reached an agreement to sell a 40% stake in Britain’s Greater Anglia franchise to Mitsui.

THE remaining two shortlisted bidders for the West Midlands passenger rail franchise have been invited by the Department of Transport (DfT) to submit bids by November 29 for the new franchise which starts in October 2017.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport announced on April 7 that it has shortlisted three bidders for a contract to operate the West Midlands from next year.