£600m of improvements promised from new train operator

Abellio are now operating the Midland main line for the next eight years under the name East Midlands Railway.

The changes the new franchisee is promising are: 

• Replacement of the entire train fleet with more than 340 carriages. This includes 165 brand new bi-mode intercity carriages (33 trains) linking cities Loughborough to the North and London, and modern diesel trains improving East-West journeys
• Investment of £20 million on stations with larger schemes at Leicester, Nottingham and Derby, and six stations to become ‘eco stations’.
• More services and faster journey times on intercity routes and better regional and local services, especially at peak times and weekends
• Improved connections and services to the main airports of East Midlands and London Luton
• Doubling capacity into London St Pancras and 40% more peak time capacity into Nottingham through more services and longer trains.
• Extension of smart and mobile ticketing and a flexible season ticket introduced in 2020 to reflect the changing working week.

Rail Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, said: “Abellio’s exciting plans for East Midlands Railway will make a real difference to passengers, delivering state-of-the-art trains with more seats, station improvements and trialling hydrogen fuel cell technology to ensure that East Midlands Railway becomes one of the most environmentally-friendly in the UK.

“This investment will also lead to more punctual journeys for passengers and play a major role in building a railway that’s fit for the future.”

Dominic Booth, Managing Director of Abellio UK, said: “Abellio is delighted to have been entrusted to operate East Midlands Railway and we’ve already started on our £600 million investment package to transform rail services across the East Midlands.”

Julian Edwards, Managing Director of East Midlands Railway, said: “Today is a new era for rail services across the East Midlands. We have already begun to deliver on our promises including new and better trains, improved stations and more services. I’ve been really impressed by the employees I have already met across the network and, working together, the railways of the East Midlands will begin to look and feel very different to today.”

The start of the new franchise also bring a new distinctive ‘EMR’ brand and a range of instant improvements for customers including a Price Promise to ensure people obtain the best value fare and more generous compensation when trains are late. More cycle and car parking will be provided and smart ticketing will be rolled out by 2020.

Sir Peter Soulsby, Chair of East Midlands Councils, and City Mayor of Leicester, said: “We’re pleased to welcome East Midlands Railway and the exciting range of opportunities it brings including investment and new services that will underpin our growing economy and the needs of our communities. We have been working with Abellio over the last year to make sure their plans match our ambitions for the region.”

To drive up performance and ensure more customer-focused delivery of railway operations, EMR and Network Rail have signed a new Alliance Agreement. This will involve many joint initiatives and a significant increase in collaborative working and co-location.

Gary Walsh, Network Rail’s Route Director, East Midlands, said: “We look forward to working closely with EMR to help deliver the journey improvements that our passengers deserve. Significant investment in trains, infrastructure, stations, and services will bring huge benefits for everyone using the route, ensuring we make the most out of the biggest upgrade to the Midland Main Line since the Victorian era.

“The £1.5billion investment programme, work on which is still underway, will help form the foundations of a strong partnership with EMR, which will result in improved north-south journeys and enhanced regional connectivity as we put passengers at the heart of every decision we make.”