Rail Franchises
Our rail operation, Govia is 65% owned by Go-Ahead and 35% by Keolis. Keolis is a French-based operator of passenger transport services which is majority owned by the French national railway SNCF. We currently operate three franchises: Southern (including Gatwick Express), Southeastern and London Midland and have been shortlisted to bid for the Thameslink franchise.
Key franchise dates
| Franchise |
Currently operated by |
Current franchise ends |
| Thameslink |
FirstGroup |
September 2013 |
| Southeastern |
Govia (Go-Ahead/Keolis) |
April 2014 |
| Southern |
Govia (Go-Ahead/Keolis) |
Merges with Thameslink in July 2015 |
| London Midland |
Govia (Go-Ahead/Keolis) |
September 2015 |
Thameslink franchise competition
Who is on the shortlist to bid for the franchise?
Govia (Go-Ahead/Keolis joint venture)
Stagecoach
FirstGroup
Abellio
MTR
What is the approximate annual passenger revenue for the franchise?
Expected to be around £1bn following the incorporation of Southern in July 2015, making it the largest franchise in the UK.
| Bid timeline |
|
Following the announcement by the Department for Transport on Wednesday 3 October 2012 regarding the postponement of rail franchise tenders, the below dates will be subject to change.
|
| Shortlist |
Announced March 2012 |
| Invitation to Tender |
Expected to be issued in October 2012 |
| Bid submission |
Expected in January 2013 |
| Successful bidder |
Expected to be announced in May 2013 |
| Franchise commences |
September 2013 |
| Thameslink and Southern franchises merge |
July 2015 |
Find out more about the Thameslink franchise on the Govia website.