Skip to main content

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 The 378 new train carriages will be used by franchise operator Abellio and replace outdated existing electric and diesel trains currently used on the routes.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The 378 new train carriages will be used by franchise operator Abellio and replace outdated existing electric and diesel trains currently used on the routes.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

  • Mercedes-Benz Vans sets up on-demand shuttle service JV with US start-up Via
    September 6, 2017
    Mercedes-Benz Vans is investing US$50 million in new joint venture with US start-up Via to bring Via’s on-demand shuttle service, already launched in New York, Chicago and Washington DC, to Europe. The service will launch in London this year. The joint venture will also partner with public transit operators across Europe, licensing Via’s on-demand shuttle operating System to enable cities to significantly improve mobility while reducing congestion without incurring any additional infrastructure costs.
  • Dutch government and businesses to invest in smart traffic solutions
    November 21, 2016
    The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, local governments and businesses are to jointly invest US$96 million (€90 million) in the Talking Traffic Partnership up to and including 2020. The partnership with the traffic industry, telecommunications and internet companies and automotive companies aims to develop and deliver innovative traffic applications to Dutch roads in the next five years. Participants in the Talking Traffic Partnership are Vialis, Dynniq, Swarco, Sweco, KoHartog Verke
  • Global Summit of Transport Ministers calls for better transport funding
    May 28, 2013
    Ministers from the 54 member countries of the International Transport Forum are calling for more investment in strategic transport infrastructure and services. In a joint Declaration on Funding Transport agreed during their 2013 Summit in Leipzig, Germany, ministers stated that funding transport is a major challenge for transport policy today. The demand for mobility through high-quality transport networks and services is growing fast. They say transport infrastructure is much more than asphalt, concrete or
  • ASECAP examines tolling’s trials, tribulations and triumphs
    September 4, 2018
    If you want to get up to speed on the main issues facing the transport sector and tolling companies, ASECAP Study Days event in Ljubljana was a good place to start. Colin Sowman reports (Photographs: Louis David). Increasing populations, ever-higher technical and safety requirements, and electric and hybrid vehicles will provide both challenges and opportunities for tolling companies. The annual Study Days event organised by ASECAP (the European association for tolling companies) examined all of these aspec