Abellio (transport company)

Abellio
IndustryPublic transport
Founded2001
Headquarters
Utrecht
,
Netherlands
Area served
Current
Germany

Past

Czech Republic
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Key people
Jeff Hoogesteger (CEO)
OwnerNederlandse Spoorwegen
SubsidiariesAbellio Deutschland
WestfalenBahn

Abellio (Dutch pronunciation: [aːˈbɛlijoː]) is a Dutch public transport company that operates bus and rail services in Germany, and formerly also in Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It is wholly owned by the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).

Created in 2004 by EVAG, the city council-owned public transit company of Essen, the company initially operated as NedRailways. It promptly expanded into both railway and bus operations in the region. British investment company Star Capital Partners purchased a 75% share in Abellio from the City of Essen in December 2005.[1] In December 2008, both parties sold their stakes in the venture to the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).[2][3] It adopted the current Abellio branding in January 2010.[4]

Current operations

Germany

As of April 2020, Abellio Deutschland operates 50 railway lines in nine states amounting to 5,518 km with a fleet of 278 trains.[5] It wholly owns WestfalenBahn, having increased its share in July 2017 from the initial 25%.[6][7][8]

Abellio Deutschland formerly also operated bus services through three companies, VM, Werner and KVG. It announced its intention to focus on rail transport in April 2013, and in November 2013, sold VM and Werner with 220 buses to Transport Capital.[9][10] The remaining KVG business was sold to Rhenus Veniro and the District of Bautzen in October 2014 with 84 buses.[11]

Former operations

Czech Republic

Abellio bought Probo Bus in 2009 and ran its network in the Czech Republic. It consisted of regional bus transport in the Beroun District and surroundings and some long-distance bus lines between Prague and South and West Bohemia.

During July 2011, Abellio CZ was founded. In spring 2012, Abellio CZ lodged an extensive complaint about wrong assignment of the tender to running of fast train line Ostrava – Krnov – Olomouc; the complaint was completely rejected.[citation needed]

In November 2013, Abellio sold Abellio CZ and Probo Bus to Arriva with 110 buses.[12][13]

Netherlands

Qbuzz was founded in 2008 by two former Connexxion directors; Abellio initially held a 49% shareholding in the venture.[14] During April 2013, Abellio purchased the outstanding 51%, making Qbuzz a wholly-owned subsidiary.[15][16]

In March 2015, Qbuzz was awarded a 15-year concession to operate services in the province of Limburg from December 2016. However, after the discovery of irregularities during the tender process, the contract was awarded to Arriva.[17][18][19]

In July 2016, NS announced its intention to sell Qbuzz.[20] In July 2017, it was sold to Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane subsidiary Busitalia.[21]

United Kingdom

Abellio London Alexander Dennis Enviro400 in April 2015
A pair of Abellio Surrey Dennis Darts in November 2009
Northern Rail Class 158 in April 2008
Greater Anglia Class 755s at Lowestoft in 2020

Abellio began operations in the United Kingdom in 2003, initially through a 59% shareholding in Serco-Abellio and later operating various bus and rail operations in its own right.

In August 2022, Abellio agreed terms to sell its UK operations to the Transport UK Group, a management buyout led by managing director Dominic Booth, subject to approval by the Office of Rail and Road and partner organisations Merseytravel and Transport for London.[22][23][24] The deal was completed in February 2023.[25][26]

Buses

Abellio purchased the Travel London and Travel Surrey businesses from National Express during May 2009. Five months later, they were rebranded as Abellio London and Abellio Surrey.[27] The latter closed in September 2018.[28]

Abellio London operated six garages; Armstrong Way, Battersea, Beddington Cross, Dawley Road, Fulwell and Walworth. By March 2022, the fleet consisted of 756 buses.[29]

Rail

Abellio had a 50% shareholding in Serco-Abellio that has bid for a number of rail franchises. Since July 2003, the joint venture has operated the Merseyrail franchise;[30] its 25-year contract expires in 2028, at which point it has been reported that the Liverpool City Region government intend to bring the network and its infrastructure under local public ownership.[31] Serco-Abellio also operated the Northern Rail franchise between December 2004 and March 2016.[32] Serco-Abellio also lodged unsuccessful bids for the Wales & Borders, West Midlands and Tyne & Wear Metro franchises.

Abellio also bid for a number of franchises in its own right, lodging bids for the South Western franchise (in partnership with FirstGroup), London Overground, South Central, InterCity West Coast, Essex Thameside, Thameslink, Southern & Great Northern and Northern franchises.[33][34][35]

In February 2012, Abellio Greater Anglia commenced operating the East Anglia franchise.[36] In 2016, Abellio successfully bid to retain the renamed East Anglia franchise until 2025.[37] In January 2017, Abellio sold a 40% stake in the business to Mitsui.[38][39] During 2021, following the COVID-19 emergency measures, Greater Anglia was given a direct award contract, replacing its franchise agreement, expiring on 20 September 2026.[40]

In April 2015, Abellio ScotRail commenced operating the ScotRail franchise.[41][42][43] In December 2019, Transport Scotland enacted a break clause to end the 10 year franchise agreement three years early, in 2022 rather than 2025. Ministers cited value for money and the need for financial sustainability as factors in the decision.[44][45]

In December 2017, West Midlands Trains, a joint venture with East Japan Railway Company and Mitsui in which Abellio owned 70%, commenced operating the West Midlands franchise.[46][47] During September 2021, following emergency measures to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DfT awarded WMT a direct contract until 20 September 2026, replacing its existing franchise agreement.[48]

In October 2016, it was announced that Abellio, along with several other competing companies, had been shortlisted to bid for the Wales & Borders franchise.[49] This bid had been undertaken in partnership with Carillion. However, during February 2018, Abellio withdrew its bid for the franchise as the liquidation of Carillion left it without an infrastructure partner.[50][51]

In August 2019, Abellio commenced operating the East Midlands Railway franchise.[52] The company has reorganised the franchise's services into three branded segments: EMR InterCity for long-distance services from London St Pancras, EMR Regional for services across the East Midlands, and EMR Electrics for the outer suburban London St Pancras to Corby service.[53]

References

  1. ^ "Star Capital Partners completes two new German investments". Star Capital Partners. 27 January 2006. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016.
  2. ^ "Contracts". Railway Gazette International. 13 December 2008.
  3. ^ "Abellio". Star Capital Partners. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016.
  4. ^ "2010 brings company rebranding". Today's Railways Europe. No. 171. March 2010. p. 7.
  5. ^ "Abellio Deutschland". www.abellio.de. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Welcome to Abellio" (PDF). Abellio. February 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2017.
  7. ^ "The Company" (in German). WestfalenBahn.
  8. ^ "Abellio takes full ownership of WestfalenBahn as market gets more competitive". Railway Gazette International. 18 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Completion of sale of Hessen bus". Abellio. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017.
  10. ^ "Luther advises Transport Capital AG on the acquisition of two bus companies from the Abellio Group" (PDF). Luther. 11 November 2013.
  11. ^ "Abellio sells the Dreiländereck to Oberlausitz" (in German). Abellio. 29 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Deutsche Bahn purchases Czech companies from Abellio". Deutsche Bahn. 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016.
  13. ^ "Arriva acquires Abellio's Czech operations". Bus & Coach Buyer. 4 December 2013.
  14. ^ "Connexxion, Arriva and Qbuzz" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. 2 September 2011.
  15. ^ "NS obtains remaining share in Qbuzz". Nederlandse Spoorwegen. February 2014. Archived from the original on 25 August 2014.
  16. ^ "Qbuzz". Abellio. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017.
  17. ^ "NS uncovers tendering irregularities". Railway Gazette International. 29 April 2015.
  18. ^ "Arriva wins re-awarded Limburg operating contract". Railway Gazette International. 3 June 2015.
  19. ^ "Arriva delighted as it profits from scandal at rival Abellio". The Daily Telegraph. 9 June 2015.
  20. ^ "NS puts Qbuzz up for sale". Railway Gazette International. 11 July 2016.
  21. ^ "FS Italiane acquires full ownership of Qbuzz". Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane. 31 August 2017. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020.
  22. ^ "Abellio UK set to become Transport UK Group via MBO". Route One. 23 August 2022. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022.
  23. ^ "Abellio to be bought out". Bus & Coach Buyer. 23 August 2022.
  24. ^ "Management buyout returns Abellio operations to UK ownership". Modern Railways. 23 August 2022. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022.
  25. ^ "Abellio UK to be renamed Transport UK Group as management buyout deal completes". Abellio.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  26. ^ Deakin, Tim (28 February 2023). "Transport UK Group MBO of Abellio UK completes". routeone.net. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  27. ^ "National Express Group plc agreement to sell Travel London". National Express. 21 May 2009. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020.
  28. ^ "Falcon Coaches to take over Abellio's remaining Surrey route". Coach & Bus Week. No. 1, 357. 28 August 2018. p. 11.
  29. ^ "Bus Fleet Audit 31 March 2002" (PDF). Transport for London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2022.
  30. ^ "Merseyrail franchise goes Dutch". The Daily Telegraph. 24 April 2003. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014.
  31. ^ "Metro Mayor moves to take full control of Merseyrail network". Liverpool Business News. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  32. ^ "Serco-NedRailways Announced as Preferred Bidder for new Northern Rail franchise". Strategic Rail Authority. 1 July 2004. Archived from the original on 26 August 2009.
  33. ^ "Short Listed Bidders for Greater Anglia and InterCity West Coast Rail Franchises". Department for Transport. 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012.
  34. ^ "Bidders to oversee improvements on rail franchises announced". Department for Transport. 29 March 2012. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012.
  35. ^ "Shortlist for Northern and TransPennine operators revealed". Department for Transport. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015.
  36. ^ "Greater Anglia rail franchise announcement". Department for Transport. 20 October 2011.
  37. ^ "Better journeys for rail passengers and boost for Derby train industry as new East Anglia franchise announced". Department for Transport. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017.
  38. ^ "Abellio to sell 40% stake in Greater Anglia to Mitsui". Railway Gazette International. 17 January 2017. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017.
  39. ^ "Greater Anglia to utilise Japanese know-how to improve train punctuality". Global Railway Review. 10 September 2019.
  40. ^ "National Rail Contract East Anglia" (PDF). Department for Transport. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  41. ^ "Dutch firms wins ScotRail franchise from FirstGroup". BBC News. 8 October 2014. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014.
  42. ^ "Abellio awarded ScotRail franchise". Railway Gazette International. 8 October 2014. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014.
  43. ^ "Abellio awarded contract to operate Scotland's National Railway, ScotRail". Abellio. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016.
  44. ^ "Future of Scotrail in doubt after Abellio stripped of rail contract without replacement plan". The Scotsman. 19 December 2019. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020.
  45. ^ "Scotland's train operator ScotRail to be nationalised". BBC News. 17 March 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  46. ^ "More seats for rail passengers as nearly £1 billion is invested in Midlands services". Department for Transport. 10 August 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018.
  47. ^ "West Midlands Trains announced as winning bidder for West Midlands franchise" (PDF). Abellio. 10 August 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2021.
  48. ^ "National Rail Contract West Midlands" (PDF). Department for Transport. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  49. ^ "Wales & Borders bidders asked to propose Metro options". Railway Gazette International. 13 October 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  50. ^ "Abellio ends rail bid after Carillion collapse". BBC News. 23 February 2018. Archived from the original on 25 February 2018.
  51. ^ Gerrard, Bradley (23 February 2018). "Abellio pulls out of rail bid after Carillion collapse". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  52. ^ "More seats and services and state of the art trains for passengers on new East Midlands railway". Department for Transport. 10 April 2019. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019.
  53. ^ Pegden, Tom. "How Midland Mainline trains will soon look". Leicester Mercury. Reach plc. Retrieved 21 June 2019.