From July 2017 Manchester Metrolink will be operated and maintained by KeolisAmey, a joint venture of French firm Keolis (70% owned by French state railways SNCF) and Spanish-owned Amey.
The appointment follows a competitive process led by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). KeolisAmey already runs the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London.
Alistair Gordon, chief executive of Keolis UK, said: “We welcome this opportunity to bring our expertise to bear on the Greater Manchester Metrolink network and provide an excellent public transport service to the city and surrounding areas.
“Our international experience tells us that a reliable, safe and customer-focused transport network is a crucial part of the engine for economic growth. We will build on Metrolink’s success and ensure we provide the support to help meet the city region’s social and economic ambitions. We look forward to working closely with TfGM to deliver the highest levels of performance and customer satisfaction in the coming years.
“This contract award underlines the success of our long term strategy to develop a presence across all sectors of British transport and marks another significant milestone in our growing partnership with Amey.”
Amey chief executive Andy Milner said: “We’ve worked in the Manchester region for many years and know how significant Metrolink has been in supporting the growth and outstanding success of the region as a whole.
“We look forward to bringing our capabilities and expertise as part of our proven partnership with Keolis to ensure the ongoing success of this vital service, working collaboratively to create better journeys for Greater Manchester’s residents and visitors.”
Launched in 1992, Metrolink now has 120 trams covering almost 60 miles of track and serves 93 stops between Manchester city centre, Altrincham, Ashton-under-Lyne, Bury, East Didsbury, Eccles, MediaCityUK, Oldham and Rochdale town centres, and Manchester Airport via Wythenshawe.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
