Train operator Abellio Greater Anglia (AGA) is set to invest £20m in service improvement across its franchise network as part of its new contract with the UK Department for Transport (DfT).
Under the agreement, AGA will continue to provide services between London Liverpool Street and major towns and cities across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex over the next 27 months.
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By GlobalDataThe deal also includes upgrades to the intercity carriages on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) route between Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester and London.
Improvements include new seat covers, new carpets and better lighting, as well as the addition of at seat power sockets.
In addition, AGA’s new contract with the government will result in an increase in services between Cambridge and Stansted Airport, a development that is in line with the recommendations of the Airport Commission’s study into airport capacity in the UK, which highlighted the importance of surface access to the airports.
It will also increase services for passengers at the intermediate stations on the route, delivering connections that can boost the local economy.
The government has secured several additional rail services in the off-peak period as part of the deal, which will result in more services on local lines.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said this deal means real improvements for passengers on the Greater Anglia network.
"It means more services and better-equipped trains," McLoughlin said. "This agreement is further proof that the government’s new franchising schedule is on track, is delivering value for money for the taxpayer, and is supporting the ongoing multi-billion pound investment programme in our railways.
Meanwhile, the UK Government is also taking key steps towards the removal of waste from the tracks with the installation of controlled emission toilets (CET) on a huge proportion of the rolling stock fleet.
Image: The UK Government is taking key steps towards the removal of waste from the railway tracks. Photo: courtesy of Gov.UK/Department for Transport.
