East Anglia franchise

In 2002, as part of a franchise reorganisation by the Strategic Rail Authority, it was announced that the Anglia and Great Eastern franchises, together with the West Anglia part of the West Anglia Great Northern franchise, would be combined to form the Greater Anglia franchise."SRA wants fewer London operators to improve capacity" Rail Magazine Issue 426 9 January 2002 page 4 This was part of the Strategic Rail Authority's strategy to reduce the number of train operating companies providing services from a single London terminal. This was expected to improve efficiency and reliability."One terminus, one operator for London" Rail Magazine issue 448 13 November 2002 page 5

{{Main|National Express East Anglia}}

File:170202 at Cambridge.JPG 170202 at Cambridge station]]

File:321311 NatEx East Anglia LST.JPG 321311 at Liverpool Street station]]

In April 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority announced that Arriva, GB Railways and National Express had been shortlisted to bid for the new franchise.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2906929.stm | work=BBC News | title=Group shocked as rail bid fails | date=1 April 2003}}

In December 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the franchise to National Express,[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090825141633/http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/releases/sra/2003a1/2003b/uncedpreferedbidderforne1217.pdf National Express Group Announced as Preferred Bidder for new Greater Anglia Franchise] Department for Transport 22 December 2013{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1450062/National-Express-wins-rail-franchise.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=National Express wins rail franchise | date=22 December 2003}} with the services operated by Anglia Railways, First Great Eastern and West Anglia Great Northern transferred to One on 1 April 2004. The franchise was run until March 2011, with provision for a three-year extension to 2014 if performance targets were met. The franchise was originally branded as One before being rebranded as National Express East Anglia in February 2008 as part of a company-wide rebranding programme.[http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/media/corporate-news/2007/new-identity-for-national-express-group/ New identity for National Express Group] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504200954/http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/media/corporate-news/2007/new-identity-for-national-express-group/ |date=4 May 2016 }} National Express 15 November 2007

In November 2009, the Department for Transport announced that National Express was to lose the Greater Anglia franchise in March 2011 rather than be granted an extension until March 2014. The decision followed National Express defaulting on the National Express East Coast franchise even though National Express East Anglia had met all of its targets required for the franchise to be extended.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8380108.stm |title= National Express loses East Anglia rail franchise |date =26 November 2009 |work=BBC News}}

In June 2010, following the general election, the Department for Transport announced that the replacement process for the franchise would be put on hold, pending a review of the franchising process. This resulted in an extension being granted until February 2012.{{cite news |url=http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/general/2010/06/18-franchise-replacements-put-on-hold.html |title=Franchise replacements put on hold by Department for Transport |date=18 June 2010 |work =RailNews |location =Stevenage}}

{{Main|Greater Anglia (train operating company)}}

File:Ipswich - Greater Anglia 156422 arriving from Lowestoft.jpg 156422 at Ipswich station in July 2013]]

When tendering restarted, it was for a short-term franchise which would give the government time to plan changes in rail franchising policy based on Roy McNulty's Rail Value for Money study. It also covered the period of the 2012 Olympic Games. The franchise was originally to run from 5 February 2012 until July 2014.[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/4171/processdocument.pdf Pre-Qualification Process Document for the Greater Anglia Franchise] Department for Transport 11 January 2011

In March 2011, the Department for Transport announced that Abellio, Go Ahead and Stagecoach had been shortlisted for the new franchise,{{cite web|url=http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/intercity-west-coast-franchise/franchisebidders.pdf|title=Shortlisted Bidders For Greater Anglia And Intercity West Coast Rail Franchises|publisher=Department for Transport|access-date=20 December 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606094818/http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/intercity-west-coast-franchise/franchisebidders.pdf|archive-date=6 June 2013|df=dmy-all}} with the Invitation to Tender issued in April 2011.[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-operator-sought-for-greater-anglia-rail-services New operator sought for Greater Anglia rail services] Department for Transport 26 April 2011 In October 2011, the franchise was awarded to Abellio[https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/greater-anglia-rail-franchise Greater Anglia rail franchise] Department for Transport 20 October 2011 and the services operated by National Express East Anglia transferred to Greater Anglia on 5 February 2012.

In March 2013, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that the franchise would be extended until 15 October 2016.[https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/franchise-announcement Railway plan puts new focus on passengers] Secretary of State for Transport 26 March 2013 However, on 31 May 2015, the Liverpool Street to Chingford/Cheshunt and Enfield Town and Romford to Upminster services were transferred to London Overground[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2014/may/tfl-appoints-london-overground-operator-to-run-additional-services TFL appoints London Overground operator to run additional services] Transport for London 28 May 2014[http://www.railpro.co.uk/news/?idArticles=2024 TfL count on LOROL for support] Rail Professional 28 May 2014 and the Liverpool Street to Shenfield services to TfL Rail.[http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/urban/single-view/view/mtr-selected-to-operate-crossrail-services.html MTR selected to operate Crossrail services] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140726145907/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/urban/single-view/view/mtr-selected-to-operate-crossrail-services.html |date=26 July 2014 }} Railway Gazette International 18 July 2014{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Howard|title=Crossrail – Moving to the Operating Railway Rail and Underground Panel 12 February 2015|url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/rup-20150212-part-1-item-09-crossrail.pdf|website=12 February 2015|publisher=Transport for London|access-date=13 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213113944/https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/rup-20150212-part-1-item-09-crossrail.pdf|archive-date=13 February 2015|url-status=live}}

In late 2013, Greater Anglia was rebranded as Abellio Greater Anglia.

{{Main|Greater Anglia (train operating company)}}

The process of tendering for the new franchise began on 19 February 2015.{{cite web |date=19 February 2015 |title=New East Anglia franchise competition begins |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-east-anglia-franchise-competition-begins |access-date=4 March 2025 |work=GOV.UK |publisher=Department for Transport}} In June 2015, an Abellio (60%) / Stagecoach (40%) joint venture, FirstGroup and National Express were shortlisted to bid for the franchise.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/shortlist-for-east-anglia-franchise-announced|title=Shortlist for East Anglia franchise announced|work=www.gov.uk|date=18 August 2021 }} On 9 December 2015, it was announced that Stagecoach had pulled out of the joint bid with Abellio, and that Abellio would continue the bid alone.{{Cite news| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-35054776| title = Stagecoach pulls out of East Anglia rail franchise bid| publisher = BBC News| access-date = 25 February 2016}}

In August 2016, it was announced that Abellio had successfully bid to operate the new franchise running from 16 October 2016 until 11 October 2025.{{cite news | url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/stadler-and-bombardier-to-supply-trains-for-abellio-east-anglia-franchise.html |title=Stadler and Bombardier to supply trains for Abellio East Anglia franchise| date=10 August 2016| publisher=Railway Gazette International}} A franchise commitment was to replace the entire fleet with 1,043 new carriages. Bombardier Transportation's Derby Litchurch Lane Works would build 665 Class 720 Aventra electric multiple unit vehicles,[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/better-journeys-for-rail-passengers-and-boost-for-derby-train-industry-as-new-east-anglia-franchise-announced Better journeys for rail passengers and boost for Derby train industry as new East Anglia franchise announced] Department for Transport 10 August 2016 while 378 Class 745 and Class 755 Stadler Flirt electric multiple unit carriages would work between London and Norwich, and London and Stansted Airport.

In March 2017, Abellio sold a 40% stake in the business to Mitsui.[http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/business/single-view/view/abellio-to-sell-40-stake-in-greater-anglia-to-mitsui.html Abellio to sell 40% stake in Greater Anglia to Mitsui] Railway Gazette International 17 January 2017[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-39341380 Abellio deal: Japanese firm Mitsui completes 40% Greater Anglia sale] BBC News

In 2021, following the COVID-19 emergency measures, Greater Anglia was given a direct award contract, replacing its franchise agreement, with a core term until 15 September 2024 and expiring on 20 September 2026.{{cite web | url = https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1059883/east-anglia-rail-contract.pdf | title = National Rail Contract East Anglia | date = 10 September 2021 | access-date = 5 March 2023 | publisher = Department for Transport}}

In December 2024, the Labour government invoked a break clause to end the contract a year early, in Autumn 2025.{{cite news|title=Nationalisation coming to Greater Anglia next autumn|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/24769678.nationalisation-coming-greater-anglia-next-autumn/|newspaper=East Anglian Daily Times|date=4 December 2024}} The government plans to bring Greater Anglia into public ownership under the terms of the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, on 12 October 2025.{{cite news|title=Rail fares to rise despite renationalisation plans|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceqlnrgjr79o|first1=Tom|last1=Espiner|first2=Charlotte|last2=Edwards|date=3 December 2024|website=BBC News}}{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Lewis |date=2025-05-09 |title=Greater Anglia to be nationalised in October, says rail operator |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgr5jvkw1v2o |access-date= |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

The invitation to tender was published on 17 September 2015 and included the following requirements.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/461470/east-anglia-invitation-to-tender.pdf |title=East Anglia Franchise Invitation to Tender September 2015}}

• introduce 180 additional weekly services, running on Mondays to Sundays to stations including Cambridge, Norwich, Stansted Airport, Southend and London Liverpool Street
• introduce two 90-minute services in each direction between Norwich and London
• improve the quality of trains running on East Anglia's network, providing a modern service with state-of-the-art trains; extra points will be awarded to bidders who include plans to trial new technologies in rolling stock
• introduce free Wi-Fi for all passengers across the network
• meet "challenging targets" to reduce crowding on the busiest services
• introduce one 60-minute service in each direction between Ipswich and London

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Category:Railway franchises in the United Kingdom