'New era' for rail services in Sheffield City Region

Today, Abellio starts operating the East Midlands Railway for the next eight years which will bring a package of more than £600 million investment in improvements to rail services between South Yorkshire, the East Midlands and London.  East Midlands Railway, or EMR, will oversee the delivery of improvements to improve customers’ experience, improve rail connections and drive economic growth. 

The positive changes to be brought in by EMR includes:

• Replacement of the entire train fleet with more than 340 carriages. This includes 165 brand new bi-mode intercity trains linking Sheffield with Chesterfield, Derby, Leicester and London, as well as modern diesel trains providing better East-West connections in the East Midlands.
• Investment of £20 million at all stations with significant improvements for Sheffield station including new shops and customer areas, a new ‘living room’ lounge and improved wayfinding and interchange and intermodal journey information screens.
• More services with faster journey times on intercity routes to London and later evening from London to Sheffield through the week and on Saturdays.
• Free Wi-Fi from the first day of the franchise, and more Smart ticketing and a flexible season ticket introduced in 2020 to reflect the changing working week plus improved catering on intercity services.
• More than £4 million to be spent on Community Rail and station adoption, including financial support for Penistone Line Partnership and High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnerships.

Dominic Booth, Managing Director of Abellio UK, said: “Abellio is delighted to have been entrusted to operate East Midlands Railway and we’ve already started on our £600 million investment package to transform rail services across the East Midlands.” 

Julian Edwards, Managing Director of East Midlands Railway, said: “Today is a new era for rail services across the East Midlands and the North.  We have already begun to deliver on our promises including new and better trains, improved stations and more services.  I’ve been really impressed by the employees I have already met across the network and working together the railways of the East Midlands and in the North will begin to look and feel very different to today.”

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: “Good transport links are vital to the growth of our economy in the Sheffield City Region. I am pleased that this investment from Abellio will lead to quicker journey times, improved stations and new intercity trains.

“Investment from Abellio into East Midlands Railways will reduce journey times from South Yorkshire to London and form part of my Integrated Rail Plan. Released in July, the plan brings together local, regional and national projects for the first time, to create a rail network fit for the 21st century.”

The start of the new franchise also brings a new brand including a range of instant improvements for customers including a Price Promise to ensure people obtain the best value fare, more generous compensation when trains are late, and a high quality and durable new brand. More cycle and car parking will be provided and smart ticketing will be rolled out by 2020.

To drive up performance and ensure more customer-focused delivery of railway operations, EMR and Network Rail have signed a new Alliance Agreement.  This will involve many joint initiatives and a significant increase in collaborative working and co-location. 

Gary Walsh, Network Rail’s Route Director, East Midlands, said: “We look forward to working closely with EMR to help deliver the journey improvements that our passengers deserve. Significant investment in trains, infrastructure, stations, and services will bring huge benefits for everyone using the route, ensuring we make the most out of the biggest upgrade to the Midland Main Line since the Victorian era.

“The £1.5billion investment programme, work on which is still underway, will help form the foundations of a strong partnership with EMR, which will result in improved north-south journeys and enhanced regional connectivity as we put passengers at the heart of every decision we make.”

A short film about the transformation to rail services that EMR will bring can be viewed at www.abellio.com/uk/media/news  or follow the launch of EMR on Twitter at #EMRLaunch.