Alstom lands £800m train maintenance contract for Derby-built fleet

Alstom has landed an £800 million contract to continue to maintain a fleet of Derby-built trains.

Under the latest agreement, the firm will continue to look after Greater Anglia’s fleet of 133 Class 720 Aventra trains until the early 2040s.

The 15-year contract extension provides continuity for the Aventra fleet and a long-term framework for Alstom, Greater Anglia and future Great British Railways to collaborate on performance, reliability and the passenger experience.

Under the agreement, Alstom will continue to maintain the fleet at Greater Anglia’s Seven Kings Depot, ensuring it remains available to support intensive commuter and regional services throughout the region.

The fleet – financed and owned by Angel Trains – was built at Litchurch Lane Works, in Derby, one of Alstom’s global ‘Centres of Excellence’ for rolling stock.

The Aventra platform has become a British success story, combining UK design, engineering and manufacturing with strong in-service performance.

Steve Harvey, services director for the UK and Ireland at Alstom, said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Greater Anglia through this long-term maintenance agreement for the Alstom-built Class 720 fleet.

“These trains represent one of the most modern commuter fleets in the country, which are already delivering excellent levels of reliability and performance.

“This contract reflects the trust that Greater Anglia places in Alstom and demonstrates how the best whole-life outcomes are secured for passengers and taxpayers when owners, operators and manufacturers work in partnership for the long term.

“We look forward to continuing our collaborative approach to deliver outstanding service for passengers across the region for many years to come.”

Alstom has produced 2,660 Aventra cars at its Derby factory for customers across the UK since 2015 – making it the biggest train manufacturing programme in a generation.

Proven at scale across England for customers including c2c, Greater Anglia, South Western Railway, Transport for London (for the Elizabeth line and London Overground) and West Midlands Trains (incorporating London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway), Alstom’s Aventra fleets have already delivered over 18 billion passenger miles.