Transport UK launches Year In Review 2024
Transport UK (TUK) marks its first year of trading with a Year in Review report outlining the company’s successes and vision for the future.
The report highlights how TUK is on schedule to complete Britain’s most ambitious fleet renewal by the end of 2025 – a £2.5 billion innovation programme to significantly reduce TUK’s carbon footprint. All four of Transport UK’s Train Operating Companies (TOCs) are modernising with 75% of the new trains already in service. The remainder are set to be delivered by the end of next year. It also notes that 70% of the TUK London Bus (TUKLB) fleet has been converted to hybrid or electric power.
West Midlands Trains (WMT) is in the midst of a £1 billion investment programme to enhance the current fleet of 224 trains with 110 new state-of-the-art trains. WMT is also bolstering its network infrastructure and train depots with a multi-million-pounds investment.
East Midlands Railway has completed a £35 million infrastructure improvement project to prepare the Etches Park depot for the arrival of 165 new Class 810 bi-mode carriages in 2025.
Merseyrail has rolled out the UK’s first battery-operated trains on behalf of Liverpool’s Mayor in the last year. Transport UK supported Merseytravel with the deployment of the new Class 777 fleet of mainline battery-powered trains. These vehicles lead the industry in comfort, passenger amenities and operational performance, facilitating top-tier service for customers.
Greater Anglia (GA) just marked the fifth anniversary of its fleet transformation. The investment has helped it become the best performing operator in the UK with an annual punctuality of 94.3%. Since 2020, GA has also reduced 39% of its carbon emissions.
Transport UK London Bus now represents 11 percent of the London bus route and has one of the largest electric fleets in London. TUKLB is leading the industry with 12% year-on-year carbon reduction. This has been driven by its bus and depot electrification programme. The Year in Review report notes that over the coming years, Transport UK plans to continue investing in and growing its fleet of electric buses until net-zero carbon is achieved.
The Year in Review highlights how Transport UK delivered a premium of £72 million to the Treasury in FY23 and is forecast to deliver a further £100 million this year, due in large part to the success of the Greater Anglia network which is steadily turning a profit for the government.
Dominic Booth, CEO of Transport UK, commented:
“Reflecting on the first year of Transport UK’s success, we are incredibly proud of all that the team has achieved. We are driving forward the green energy revolution to improve public transport.
“Our dedicated team of industry experts has unparalleled skill and experience in the sector. This will be crucial to shaping integrated public transport in the years to come as we continue our journey to create a sustainable, efficient and inclusive transport network.”