Arriva
Group


is
announcing
today
that
will
lease
nine
new
battery
hybrid
trains
to
replace
its
existing
Grand
Central
fleet.

The
45
Hitachi
tri-mode
vehicles
will
be
owned
by
Angel
Trains
and
the
lease
will
run
for
10
years.
The
fleet
will
be
built
by
Hitachi
at
Newton
Aycliffe
in
County
Durham
and
should
be
delivered
in
2028.

The
trains
will
be
able
to
generate
electricity
using
diesel
engines,
or
draw
their
power
directly
from
the
overhead
or
batteries.

Arriva
said
the
order
follows
Office
of
Rail
and
Road
approval
for
Grand
Central’s
track
access
rights
to
be
extended
to
2038,
and
that
the
battery
element
of
the
order
provides
‘a
new
advanced
manufacturing
opportunity’
for
the
factory
and
the
wider
supply
chain.

The
new
trains
will
increase
seat
numbers
by
20
per
cent,
which
means
another
400,000
seats
will
be
available
over
a
year.
The
trains
could
be
used
on
other
routes
in
the
future,
because
of
their
multiple
traction
modes.
They
are
also
expected
to
reduce
noise
and
emissions.

Arriva
UK
Trains
managing
director
Amanda
Furlong
said:
‘This
major
investment
underscores
our
commitment
to
the
UK
market.
We
are
proud
to
connect
under-served
communities
with
regional
and
national
centres,
helping
make
sustainable
train
travel
the
easy
choice.

‘These
best-in-class,
greener
trains
will
deliver
more
comfortable
journeys
and
a
step-change
in
capacity
on
our
popular
Grand
Central
services.
We
look
forward
to
announcing
further
rolling
stock
orders,
providing
jobs
and
wider
economic
benefits,
as
and
when
our
network
grows.’

The
order
has
come
as
private
sector
train
operators
continue
to
push
for
more
open
access
routes
as
the
former
franchises
are
progressively
renationalised,
although
the
Department
for
Transport
has
declined
to
support
all
the
outstanding
open
access
applications
except
one
from
Alstom
for
London
to
Wrexham.
Transport
secretary
Heidi
Alexander
has
also
indicated
that
she
may
change
the
formal
guidance
she
gives
to
the
ORR
about
open
access
operation.

She
said:
‘Just
four
months
since
the
Prime
Minister
and
I
welcomed
a
significant
deal
for
Hitachi
and
its
workforce
in
Newton
Aycliffe,
this
new
£300
million
investment
marks
yet
another
step
forward
in
securing
the
future
of
rail
manufacturing
in
the
North
East.

‘Not
only
will
this
new
battery
technology
deliver
greener
journeys
for
passengers,
but
it
will
also
boost
skills
for
the
workforce
and
futureproof
jobs
here
in
Newton
Aycliffe
as
we
continue
to
deliver
a
railway
fit
for
the
21st
century.’

Arriva
is
awaiting
a
decision
from
the
Office
of
Rail
and
Road
after
it
applied
in
March
for
new
track
access
rights
for
direct
services
between
Cleethorpes,
Grimsby,
Habrough,
Scunthorpe
and
London.

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