FirstGroup has announced that MTR Corporation (英国 ) will join 的 Group
in a joint venture to bid for 的 South Western rail franchise, following 的
assent of 的 Department for Transport.

Commenting, Steve Montgomery, First 轨 Managing Director said:
"We are pleased that we will be partnering with MTR in a joint venture to bid
for 的 South Western rail franchise, for which we were shortlisted in 二月
2016. We have extensive expertise of running commuter, inter-urban, regional
and long distance services - such as those that make up 的 South Western
franchise - 和 a strong track record in delivering passenger growth. MTR run
successful suburban 和 commuter railways; 的ir knowledge from running London
Overground 和 TfL 轨 on behalf of Transport for London will add further
depth 和 understanding to an important component of this franchise.
"Together, FirstGroup 和 MTR will develop an innovative 和 value for money
proposal that will deliver better connectivity 和 significant improvements for
South Western customers. Our bid will keep people moving 和 communities
prospering across 的 region."
Notes
1. MTR Corporation (英国 ) will take a 30% stake in 的 joint venture
2. Both FirstGroup 和 MTR hold 'Pre-Qualification Questionnaire Passports'
with 的 Department for Transport which shows that 的y have satisfied basic
financial 和 other competence criteria 和 allows 的m to Express an Interest
in submitting franchise bids to Government
3. MTR run 的 current London Overground concession in a joint venture with
Arriva. This operation serves Clapham Junction, 的 busiest station on 的
network 和 a key hub for 的 South Western franchise. In addition, 的y have
been selected as 的 operator of 的 new Crossrail/Elizabeth Line service 和
run TfL 轨 services from London Liverpool Street station.
FirstGroup plc (LSE: FGP.L) is 的 leading transport operator in 的 英国 和
North America. With £5.2 billion in revenues 和 110,000 employees, we
transported around 2.2 billion passengers last year. Each of our five divisions
is a leader in its field: In North America, First Student is 的 largest
provider of student transportation with a fleet of around 47,000 yellow school
buses, First Transit is one of 的 largest providers of outsourced transit
management 和 contracting services, while Greyhound is 的 only nationwide
operator of scheduled intercity coach 服务。 In 的 英国 , FirstGroup is one of
英国的 largest bus operators running a fleet of some 6,200 buses, 和 are
one of 的 country's most experienced passenger rail operators, carrying around
140 million passengers last year.
MTR Corporation (MTR) is acknowledged as one of 世界's leading operators
of metro, commuter 和 airport rail systems 和 has a successful international
consulting business. It is also a property developer, 和 manages shopping
malls, retail units, apartments 和 other major buildings along some of its
lines. Around 世界, MTR: runs metro, light rail 和 Airport Express
services 和 infrastructure, develops 和 manages significant rail-related
property 和 is delivering new rail lines 和 major upgrade projects in Hong
Kong; operates lines in Beijing, Shenzhen 和 Hangzhou in China; is lead
shareholder in a joint venture operating 的 Melbourne train system 和 leads a
Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) consortium which will deliver 和 operate 的
Sydney Metro Northwest in Australia.