11 January 2017
RMT Press Office:
As Italian operator takes over C2C RMT reveals that 70% of UK rail routes now wholly or partly owned by foreign states.
RAIL UNION RMT has revealed today that following the first entry of an Italian company into the market that of 28 private rail contracts, 20, or 70%, are now partially or wholly owned by foreign states or their railways.
The RMT revelations come as it was announced that National Express have knocked out their C2C franchise to Italian state operator Trenitalia.
Rail Routes in GB are currently owned as follows:
| Contract / Route |
Operator |
Operator Owner name |
Operator Owner - Country |
| Caledonian Sleeper |
Serco Caledonian Sleepers |
Serco |
UK private company |
| Chiltern |
Arriva |
Deutsche Bahn |
German State Railways |
| Cross Country |
Arriva |
Deutsche Bahn |
German State Railways |
| Docklands Light Railway |
Keolis Amey Docklands |
Amey / Keolis joint venture |
French state owns Keolis |
| Essex Thameside |
C2C |
Trenitalia |
Italian State Railways |
| East Midlands |
East Midlands Trains |
Stagecoach |
UK private company |
| Virgin East Coast |
Stagecoach and Virgin trains |
Virgin (10%) and Stagecoach (90%) |
Virgin and Stagecoach are UK registered private companies |
| Gatwick Express |
GTR |
Govia (comprising of Go- ahead and Keolis) |
French state owns Keolis |
| Grand Central |
Arriva |
Deutsche Bahn |
German state railways |
| Greater Anglia |
Greater Anglia |
Abellio |
Dutch State railways |
| Great Western |
First Great Western |
First Group |
UK registered private company |
| London Midland |
London Midland Railway |
Govia (comprising of Go- ahead and Keolis) |
French state railways owns Keolis, |
| London Overground |
Arriva Rail London |
Deutsche Bahn |
German state railways own Arriva |
| Northern |
Northern |
Arriva |
German state railways own Arriva |
| Scotland |
Scotrail |
Abellio |
Dutch state railways own Abellio |
| South West |
South West Trains |
Stagecoach |
UK registered private company |
| Southern |
GTR |
Govia (comprising of Go- ahead and Keolis) |
French state owns Keolis |
| South Eastern |
South Eastern |
Govia (comprising of Go- ahead and Keolis) |
French state railways owns Keolis, |
| Thameslink, |
GTR |
Govia (comprising of Go- ahead and Keolis) |
French state railways owns Keolis, |
| TransPennine |
First TransPennine Express |
First Group |
UK registered private company |
| Tyne & Wear Metro |
DB Regio Tyne and Wear |
Arriva Deutsche Bahn |
German State Railways |
| Wales & Borders |
Arriva |
Deutsche Bahn |
German State Railways |
| West Coast |
Virgin West Coast |
Virgin / Stagecoach |
Virgin and Stagecoach are UK registered private companies |
| Hull |
First Hull Trains |
First Group |
UK registered private company |
| Merseyrail |
Merseyrail |
Serco / Abellio |
Dutch state railways own Abellio |
| Eurostar |
Eurostar |
EIL is owned by SNCB (5%) and SNCF (55%) and other private investors who bought the UK Govt stake |
SNCB is the Belgian State railway and SNCF is the French State railway. |
| Heathrow Express |
Heathrow Express |
Heathrow Airport Holdings |
Heathrow Airport Holdings is a consortium, 41.88% of which is owned by the sovereign wealth funds of Singapore, China and Qatar. |
| Heathrow Connect |
Heathrow Connect |
Heathrow Airport Holdings/First Group |
Heathrow Airport Holdings is a consortium, 41.88% of which is owned by the sovereign wealth funds of Singapore, China and Qatar. |
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;
“Britain’s railways are being sold off to European state-owned outfits with the profits from our fares – amongst the highest in Europe – subsidising operations abroad. Trenitalia is the latest to jump at the chance to fill it's boots on the C2C routes.
“Privatisation has failed passengers and the public by hitting their pockets and providing poor service and left foreign state train operators laughing all the way to the bank.
“The revelation that 70% of the UK train operations are now partially or wholly owned by foreign states or their railways is nothing short of a national scandal.”
"The case for public ownership of UK rail to end this racket is now overwhelming."
Ends.
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