Arriva and Keolis

[Jack]

Looks like an interesting development if anything actually does come to fruition.

www.arriva.co.uk/arriva/en/media_centre/press_releases/2010/2010-01-28/

www.ft.com/cms/s/0/15a253d6-0c04-11df-96b9-00144feabdc0.html

[SF07]

It'd be interesting to see what would happen with TransPennine Express, since it's jointly run between Keolis and First.

[Jack]

Talks have now ceased between the two groups with no agreement on the deal being made. Meanwhile, Go-Ahead and Keolis are making separate bids for the new Greater Anglia and c2c franchises both of which NatEx lose in 2011. This appears to have nothing to with any potential merger, but to do with Govia carrying 27% of all rail passengers on their services, a bid could be refused on competition grounds.