The government has torn up a bid by an Angel Trains and Alstom
consortium to build and finance trains for the £1.4 billion
Thameslink rail project.
The decision, which represents a significant blow to the
consortium which was due to launch in the UK its lightweight
X’Trapolis trains for use on Thameslink, has been made weeks before
the government is due to announce the name of the winning
consortium.
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Individuals connected to the Angel-Alstom bid, however, are
sceptical over whether the government decision, announced to
interested parties several days ago, is final.
One said: “You might find different governments have a different
view of the world.
“There is still a lot to go in terms of this process. We will be
watching what actually happens. We haven’t really had very much
feedback at all on this. We are still picking up bits and pieces as
this goes through.”
Of the three consortium that were bidding for Thameslink, which
also includes ones led by Siemens and Bombardier, Alstom’s trains
are understood to have been the lightest and also the cheapest to
build and maintain.
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By GlobalDataIt has been suggested that the Department for Transport favours
Siemens’ and Bombardier’s EMUs as they are in use in the UK while
Alstom’s X’Trapolis trains are not.
Brendan Malkin
