LOK Report – Great Britain: Bidder's List for Elizabethan Line Determined

Photo courtesy of the Mayor of London.

The tender for the future operation of London's Elizabeth Line, formerly known as Crossrail, has entered a new phase. Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that four bidders have been selected as part of the procurement process to operate the Elizabeth Line from May 2025, when the current contract with the MTR Elizabeth Line expires:

• Arrival UK trains
• First Keolis Elizabeth Line (joint venture between First Group and Keolis)
• GTS Rail Operations Limited (a joint venture between Go Ahead Holdings Ltd, Sumitomo Corporation and Tokyo Metro Co. Ltd)
• MTR Corporation (UK) Ltd

The Elizabeth Line opened in May 2022, providing services to Reading, Heathrow, Shenfield and Abbey Wood, with up to 24 trains per hour running through central London at peak times.

As of May 2022, more than 300 million journeys have been made by train. It is the most significant expansion of London's transport network in a generation and has transformed life and travel in London and the South East of England by providing new travel options, reducing journey times, creating additional capacity and improving access.

Under the new deal, the Mayor of London will continue to be responsible for setting fares, while TfL markets services and sets train performance. TfL will also retain revenue from ticket sales to reinvest in improving the transport network.

Employees currently employed by the MTR Elizabeth Line will be transferred to the new operator under the Transfer of Contracts (Security of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUBE).

TfL is in the process of finding the next operator of the Docklands Light Railway (TLR). Companies Listed:

• Keolis Ami Docklands (joint venture between Keolis and Amei)
• Connecting Docklands (a joint venture between Go Ahead and Atkins)
• ComfortDelGro

RL, WKZ, source TfL