Eversheds has advised the Department for Transport (DfT) on a new directly awarded rail franchise agreement with FirstGroup plc subsidiary First Greater Western Limited to operate the Great Western rail franchise until 1 April 2019 (with an optional extension period).

The Great Western franchise provides key rail passenger services over a large area of the south and west of Britain including inter city services linking London with Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Exeter and Plymouth, local and regional services and London commuter services. Key routes and services are undergoing major investment including in consequence of Network Rail’s Great Western electrification project.

Considerable passenger benefits are to be delivered by the new franchise including the provision of three million additional seats a year by 2018 across the franchise, 4,000 more morning peak seats into London every day by December 2018, and a £30m investment to improve stations and car parks.

During the franchise the operation of key inter city services will be taken over by new Hitachi “Super Express” trains being delivered under the Department for Transport sponsored “Inter City Express Project”.

The Eversheds team was led by Partner and Head of Rail Mark Brunton who commented:

“We are delighted to have been able to work with the Department for Transport team to deliver this important new franchise agreement that will facilitate major improvements for passengers.”