UK: The French manufacturer has signed a €437.6 mln order for the delivery of ten Aventra EMUs of 90 cars. These will be used for passenger service on the 117 km Elizabeth line in the London metropolitan area.
In the months leading up to this, Alstom requested assistance from the British government to maintain operations on the site until 2026. This was to ensure the company could continue production of trains for the High-Speed 2 line. The potential risks of shutting down the site that has been producing rolling stock for almost 150 years have been a concern for the UK rail industry for almost a year. This spring, Alstom announced the mothballing of the site and the reduction of 1,300 jobs.
The new contract will see British Department for Transport allocate €261 mln for the purchase of trains, while the transport authority of London TfL will provide €177 mln for their maintenance until 2046.
