30th Jun 2006 12:03
National Express Group PLC30 June 2006 30 June 2006 National Express Group National Express joint venture with MTR Corporation for South Western franchise National Express Group ("the Group") today announces it has teamed up with MTRCorporation Limited, the operator of the Hong Kong mass transit railway system,and will today be submitting a joint bid for the South Western rail franchisecompetition, for which the Group pre-qualified earlier this year. Through the 50:50 joint venture agreement, the Group has fully reviewed andcontributed to the South Western franchise bid and will participate in postfranchise submission negotiations with the Department for Transport. Commenting on today's announcement Phil White, Chief Executive, National ExpressGroup said: "Following an approach by MTR, we undertook a comprehensive reviewof the bid, and with our experience and additional resource, we felt we were ina position to add value to what in our view is a strong bid." Jeremy Long, Chief Executive Officer-European Business of MTR said; "We aredelighted that National Express Group has joined forces with us on this excitingproject. We believe that National Express has provided an added UK baseddimension to the extensive work that we have already undertaken, and havewelcomed them into the team." - E ND S - Notes to Editors • The South Western franchise competition was launched in March 2006. • National Express Group is one of the UK's leading train operating companieswith six franchises within its portfolio; c2c, Silverlink, Central Trains,Gatwick Express, Midland Mainline and 'one' incorporating Stansted Express. TheGroup is currently bidding for the three Midlands franchises; East Midlands,West Midlands and Cross Country. • MTR Corporation is a Hong Kong based railway operator responsible for theoperation of the mass transit railway in Hong Kong which carries, on average, inexcess of 2.4 million passengers every weekday. For further information: Nicola Marsden/Georgina ParkesNational Express Group020 7529 2000 Andrew Dowler/Ben FosterFinancial Dynamics020 7831 3113 MTR press office020 7269 7237 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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