Tokyo Metro to Be Involved in Elizabeth Line Operation
Part of consortium given contract to run the service from next year
The line is carrying over 700,000 passengers a day after just two years of operation
November 20, 2024
Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it has awarded the contract to run the Elizabeth line to a consortium which includes Tokyo Metro.
It says the move will bring ‘the best parts of Tokyo and London to the Elizabeth line to optimise the current operation’.
The existing operator MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Limited is to be ditched after the services was plagued with delays since opening fully in 2022. Nevertheless, it became the most heavily used line in the country in just two years carrying more than 700,000 people a day.
GTS Rail Operations Limited, which is owned by Tokyo Metro, Sumitomo Corporation and the Go-Ahead group, will take over in May 2025 on a contract that runs for seven years with an option to extend for another two. It includes a commitment add 10 trains to the fleet and oversee the opening of Old Oak Common station which will interchange with HS2. The station is due to start operating in 2030. The consortium will also deliver more than 500 apprenticeships over the contract term, supporting strategic resourcing and training.
Go-Ahead was formerly the operator of the Southeastern franchise but had its contract terminated after the discovery that it had not paid £25million due to the government since 2014. The matter led to the resignation of the company’s finance director and an admission that ‘serious errors had been made’ with the eventual underpayment revealed to be over £50million.
The RMT union has criticised what it describes as a reprivatisation. Its General Secretary Mick Lynch said, "It is deeply concerning that while other parts of our rail network are being brought back into public hands, the Elizabeth Line is being left to funnel profits to private operators.
"This approach prioritises corporate shareholders over London’s passengers and workers, and it's a missed opportunity to reinvest every penny into improving services and keeping fares affordable."
Claire Mann, TfL’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “The Elizabeth line has had a transformational impact since opening in 2022 and has quickly become one of the most popular and reliable railways in the country. The railway has provided new, more direct journey options which has led to huge numbers of customers using our safe and accessible trains and stations.
“I am delighted that we have appointed GTS Rail Operations to continue to build on the success of the Elizabeth line and I look forward to working with them.”
Miguel Parras, Group CEO of the Go-Ahead Group, said, “We’re proud to have been chosen to be TfL’s partner, together with Sumitomo Corporation and Tokyo Metro, for the operation of the iconic Elizabeth line. We look forward to bringing our collective expertise across UK and international rail operations to London. Our objectives are aligned with TfL - to connect communities across London through safe, reliable, and sustainable public transport services, delivered to the highest level of customer satisfaction.”
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