Three companies short-listed for Auckland operator contract

Auckland Transport has announced the three companies which will compete for the tender to operate passenger rail services from July 1, 2016.

Serco NZ, Transdev Auckland and KiwiRail will compete for the next Auckland Transport passenger deal.

AT Metro general manager Mark Lambert on Friday said tender documents will be issued to the short-listed companies soon and the new rail contract will take effect when the existing contract expires.

Lambert said there was a high level of interest internationally when Auckland Transport sought Expressions of Interest.

He said the three shortlisted companies were selected after careful evaluation.

The new contract will be performance-based, and Lambert said it would reflect the “huge changes” in the Auckland passenger rail system since the current contract was put in place in 2003, with Transdev Auckland as its operator.

Since 2003, Auckland’s Metro rail service has been electrified, and modern electric trains will soon be operating on all lines. Stations have been upgraded, new stations have been built and the Western Line has been double-tracked.

Lambert noted the number of services has increased from 40,000 to 140,000 per annum since 2003, whil passenger boardings have passed a record 13 million a year and are climbing at record rates, with growth of 33% in March 2015 compared to the same month last year.

Annual growth for the March year was 21%, he noted.

More information on the short-listed companies, via Auckland Transport:

• Serco NZ is the New Zealand arm of the British Serco PLC, an international service company working in a variety of sectors including transport, health and corrections. Internationally, Serco’s rail operations include the MerseyRail and Northern Rail operations in the UK and the Dubai Metro in the United Arab Emirates. Serco delivers services to central and local governments in New Zealand and Australia with over 9,000 staff across the region and 600 based in Auckland.
• Transdev Auckland is part of the Transdev Group, one of the world’s largest private passenger transport companies. The Group, whose head office is based in France, operate light and heavy rail services in Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia. Transdev has been operating the Auckland Metro rail services since 2003.
• New Zealand Government-owned KiwiRail owns and manages the national railway network. It operates freight and passenger rail services throughout New Zealand, including the Tranz Metro commuter rail operation in Wellington, which provides 2,200 services each week.