Serco-Abellio

Serco-Abellio (formerly Serco-NedRailways) is a joint venture between Abellio and Serco, each owning 50%. Serco is a UK public listed company providing outsourced public sector services internationally, including the operation of public transport systems. Abellio is a subsidiary of the Dutch government owned Nederlandse Spoorwegen.

Operations
In April 2003 Serco/NedRailways was awarded the Merseyrail franchise for 25 years from July 2003.

In July 2004 Serco/NedRailways was awarded the Northern Rail franchise for six years and nine months from December 2004 with a two-year extension subject to performance targets being achieved.

In May 2010 the Department for Transport confirmed that Northern Rail had met the performance targets and the franchise was extended for two years until September 2013. In May 2012 the Department for Transport granted Northern Rail a six month extension until March 2014. In March 2013 the Secretary of State for Transport announced the franchise would again be extended until 4 February 2016.

Potential operations
The joint venture has also been shortlisted for a number of other rail franchises:


 * Wales & Borders in 2003


 * ScotRail in 2003, but withdrew to concentrate on the Northern Rail franchise


 * West Midlands in 2007


 * Tyne & Wear Metro in 2009

More recently Abellio have been shortlisted for the London Overground, South Central, Greater Anglia, InterCity West Coast, Essex Thameside and Thameslink Southern Great Northern franchises in their own right while Serco has been shortlisted for the Caledonian Sleeper franchise.