Important international coup for Ferrovie dello Stato: the Italian group has won a tender for the railway link on the English west coast, on the intercity axis between London, Edinburgh and Glasgow and for high-speed services from London to Birmingham. Trenitalia was awarded the railway franchise in partnership with FirstGroup (30% and 70% respectively): "Revenues from the franchise amounted to over 1,250 billion euros in the last year, with growth forecast over the next few years", reads in a note after the decision of the English authorities.
“After just three years in the UK, we are strengthening our presence with the management of one of the most important railway lines in the UK, in partnership with FirstGroup,” said Gianfranco Battisti, managing director of FS Italiane. “The award of this tender represents another significant step in our ambition to play a major role in the UK rail sector. With this partnership, the international development of the Ferrovie dello Stato Group continues, especially in a high-potential market such as that of the United Kingdom".
“Since the acquisition of c2c in 2017, our penetration of the UK market has significantly strengthened, through investments in technology and customer services,” said Battisti. “Trenitalia is now one of the main railway operators in Europe: present in the French, German and Greek markets and in Austrian and Swiss partnerhisp, as well as in Italy and the United Kingdom. Our ambition is to grow further in the UK and elsewhere in the coming years."
