EIB agrees funding for new East Anglia trains

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to provide US$76 million (£60 million) for the purchase of new trains that will improve passenger services in East Anglia on key London, intercity, airport and local services in the UK. The 378 new train carriages will be used by franchise operator Abellio and replace outdated existing electric and diesel trains currently used on the routes. The EIB loan is guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) under the Investment Plan for Europe, and
October 6, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

The 4270 European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to provide US$76 million (£60 million) for the purchase of new trains that will improve passenger services in East Anglia on key London, intercity, airport and local services in the UK.

The 378 new train carriages will be used by franchise operator Abellio and replace outdated existing electric and diesel trains currently used on the routes. The EIB loan is guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) under the Investment Plan for Europe, and this is the first EFSI transport loan in the United Kingdom.

The 28 year European Investment Bank loan will finance purchase of new rolling stock by Rock Rail East Anglia PLC for use by Abellio East Anglia Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dutch national rail company Nederlandse Spoorwegen.

Funding of these new trains was led by Rock Rail and SL Capital with additional co-investment equity being provided by GLIL, the Greater Manchester Pension Fund and London Pensions Fund Authority infrastructure investment joint venture.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Cambodia's first commercial train begins operation
    January 2, 2013
    After years of renovation, Cambodia's modern railway system has commenced commercial rail operations on the 256 km southern line between the capital city of Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville Port. The renovation was carried out with financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and development partners. "ADB welcomes this first commercial train service to the Port of Sihanoukville which marks a significant development towards the completion of the long-awaited Pan-Asian railroad - a contiguous Iron Sil
    Read More
  • EU funding for French metro line
    November 16, 2015
    French investment firm Caisse des dépôts is to provide US$107 million of financing for the construction of line B of the Rennes metro. The European Investment Bank has already provided a loan of US$321 million for the project, which will contribute to the construction of a second metro line by 2019, linking the La Courrouze eco-district to the ViaSilva eco-suburb, along with the purchase of rolling stock, a new maintenance and sidings centre and three park-and-ride facilities. The construction of the
    Read More
  • Transport for the North gears up
    January 13, 2015
    UK Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin attended the inaugural Transport for the North meeting as northern leaders met to discuss their plans to transform the region into a northern powerhouse. The meeting in Leeds heralded the first step of drawing up with the government a comprehensive transport strategy to transform the north’s economic infrastructure and help maximise the region’s growth potential, rebalancing the national economy. As well as examining east-west rail links to better connect the
    Read More
  • The long road to Spanish enlightenment
    October 22, 2018
    Julián Núñez, immediate past president of ASECAP, gets his teeth into the vision of a European strategy for toll roads. David Arminas reports from Madrid. Getting European politicians to agree to a long-term cross-border highway infrastructure programme for toll roads is extremely difficult. It’s a bit like pulling teeth: people want to avoid the pain. But pain is something that Spanish operators, including Abertis, OHL, ACS, FCC and Acciona, have been going through for the past decade. The country has
    Read More

Highlighted Content