Nexus, owner of the Tyne and Wear Metro, today invited potential bidders to declare an interest in a contract to run the Operations side of the business on its behalf.
The Passenger Transport Executive has placed a notice in Official Journal of the European Union asking for expressions of interest in the Operations contract by December. Metro is a light rail network of 60 stations used by 40 million passengers a year serving the cities of Newcastle and Sunderland and surrounding area. The successful bidder will start work on 1 April 2010 with a contract duration of seven years plus up to an additional two years depending on performance. Nexus will continue to own and manage Metro, and is investing over £320 million in modernising infrastructure, stations and trains on the 74km network over the next 10 years. Nexus will continue to set fares, a detailed service specification and other performance criteria for the operator to work to. The contractor will be responsible for delivering the train service, fleet maintenance and modernisation of 90 Metrocars, and day-to-day station management. Metro Operations are currently provided by Nexus itself, and an in house management team bid will be made. Ken Mackay, Director of Rail and Infrastructure at Nexus, said: “This is a unique and exciting opportunity for a contractor to become involved in one of the UK’s leading urban transit systems. “We are looking for a partner who can deliver efficiency and innovation to exceed our already high standards. We expect international interest. “Market testing operations will form only one part of our ambitious plan for Metro. Nexus will be investing over £400 million in the system between 2007 and 2019 through the ‘Metro: all change’ programme, improving the passenger experience and creating many jobs and opportunities in the engineering and construction sectors.” Revenue control, security, station cleaning landscaping and the delivery of capital projects on Metro are already delivered by contractors under Nexus management. Bernard Garner, Director General of Nexus, said: “Metro lies at the heart of Tyne and Wear’s future transport and regeneration plans, and the investment we are making will ensure it continues to provide a convenient, reliable and good value service. “A good Metro is worth billions to the local economy in getting people to work, education and leisure opportunities easily, reducing congestion and the impact of climate change.” Following the publication of the notice in the Official Journal, Nexus intends to send detailed specification of the service to be operated in April 2009, with contract award scheduled for January 2010. The Operations contract begins on 1 April 2010. Metro began operation in 1980 adopting previous suburban rail lines in Tyne and Wear and new tunnels built beneath the centre of Newcastle and Gateshead. It forms the backbone of the public transport network in Tyne and Wear, with one in three families using Metro sometime in their daily lives. Three of the 20 busiest UK rail stations outside South East England are on Metro. Nexus owns and maintains 56km of infrastructure directly, while Metro operates to Sunderland on Network Rail infrastructure, on an 18km extension opened in 2002. For more details about Metro and the Metro: All Change investment programme go to www.nexus.org.uk. The notice is reference 2008/S 215-286830, and is available here.
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