Crossrail rolling stock and depot contract to be awarded to Bombardier
6 February 2014
• 65
trains to be built in Derby
• Over 1,000 jobs and around 100 apprenticeships supported in the UK
• Over 1,000 jobs and around 100 apprenticeships supported in the UK
The
intention to award a contract to deliver rolling stock and a new depot for
Crossrail with a capital value of around £1bn to Bombardier has been announced
today by Transport for London (TfL) and The Department for Transport (DfT).
The
contract between TfL and Bombardier covers the supply, delivery and maintenance
of 65 new trains and a depot at Old Oak Common. The contract award is subject
to a 10 day standstill period.
TfL will
run Crossrail as part of its integrated transport services for London, including
ticketing and customer travel information.
Bombardier
has confirmed that the new trains will be manufactured and assembled at their
plant in Derby. This contract will support 760 UK manufacturing jobs plus 80
apprenticeships. An estimated 74 per cent of contract spend will remain in the
UK economy.
The
construction of the maintenance depot at Old Oak Common will support 244 jobs,
plus 16 apprenticeships. When fully operational the depot will support 80 jobs
to maintain the new fleet of trains.
Mayor of
London Boris Johnson said: “The Crossrail project is now rolling on full-steam
ahead. The manufacture of these new trains will not only revolutionise rail
travel in London, they will deliver jobs and economic growth in their
birthplace in Derby and across the UK. With a firm on board to deliver a fleet
of 21st century trains and the tunnelling more than halfway complete, we’re on
track to deliver a truly world-class railway for the capital.”
Transport
Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This announcement will mean state of the
art trains providing quick, comfortable journeys for the millions of people
Crossrail will serve. It is also great news for British manufacturing and for
Derbyshire, where Bombardier will support 760 new jobs and 80 apprenticeships.”
Sir Peter
Hendy CBE, London’s Transport Commissioner said: “Crossrail is already
generating jobs in London and the UK. When it opens it will continue to provide
jobs and the growth it will bring will boost the whole economy. Crossrail is a
fantastic example of the widespread benefits that sustained investment in
transport infrastructure brings.”
Andrew
Wolstenholme Chief Executive of Crossrail said: “Crossrail will transform rail
services in London and the South East. Procurement of the rolling stock and depot
is just one more step in delivering this new railway and making it a reality
for millions of passengers.
“Crossrail
Limited has conducted this procurement in a fair, objective and transparent
manner and in full compliance with the regulatory framework.”
London’s
population is set to grow from 8.4 million today to around 10 million by 2030.
Government, the Mayor of London and Transport for London are investing in
Crossrail and other transport infrastructure to support access to jobs,
education, housing and to boost economic growth.
Crossrail
will boost London’s rail-based capacity by 10 per cent connecting Maidenhead
and Heathrow in the west and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It is
connecting people and places, providing faster journey times and up to 24
trains per hour between Paddington and Whitechapel during the peak.
In
addition to the jobs created through the rolling stock and depot contract it is
estimated that Crossrail will generate at least 75,000 business opportunities
and support the equivalent of 55,000 full time jobs right around the UK. Three
out of five businesses currently winning work on the project are based outside
London and over half are small and medium sized companies (SMEs).
Each
Crossrail train is 200 metres long and able to carry up to 1,500 passengers.
Key features of the new high-capacity Crossrail trains include air conditioning
and inter-connecting walk-through carriages. On-train passenger information
systems will deliver real-time travel information to allow passengers to plan
their onward journeys.
The new
lightweight Crossrail trains will be built with an emphasis on energy
efficiency and use of intelligent on-train energy management systems.
All
bidders were asked to set out how they would engage with their wider supply
chains and maximise opportunities for SMEs. Bombardier will target at least 25
per cent of the value of this contract going to SMEs. Bidders were required to
manage the project through a London-based office and to commit to have plans to
deliver job and training opportunities, including apprenticeships.
TfL will
introduce the new trains from May 2017, with the fleet progressively introduced
to the existing rail network well in advance of services commencing through
Crossrail’s central section in December 2018.
Ends