The UK Transport for London (TfL) is set to award an eight-year, £1.4bn contract to MTR Corporation (MTR) to serve as a key partner in delivering the new Crossrail services.
The contract comes with an option to extend it to further ten years.
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MTR will run Crossrail services between Reading and Heathrow in the west and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.
London Underground and London Rail managing director Mike Brown said: "Appointing an operator is a huge step towards the new railway coming to London.
"The decision to appoint MTR was reached after a thorough and competitive procurement process and we look forward to working with them to transform rail services in the capital.
"Crossrail will help cut journey times, make it easier for people travelling across the city, as well as create jobs and support growth and regeneration along the route."
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By GlobalDataThe new appointment is expected to create hundreds of jobs for local people, including 400 drivers and more than 50 apprenticeships. MTR competed against Arriva Crossrail, National Express Group and Keolis/Go Ahead for the contract.
Abellio Greater Anglia will be replaced by MTR that will operate services from 31 May 2015 between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.
Working closely with TfL, Bombardier and Crossrail, MTR will assist in introducing the new trains into service from 2017.
The 100km-long Crossrail route will serve 40 stations and run from Reading and Heathrow Airport. Services are scheduled to begin in 2018.
When fully operational in 2019, Crossrail will increase London’s rail-based transport capacity by 10%, as well as support regeneration, reduce journey times and bring an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London.
Image: TfL has recently appointed Barber & Osgerby to work on design of Crossrail train. Photo: courtesy of Crossrail.
