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Arriva is a multinational public transport company headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn.
Arriva operates bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus services in 14 countries across Europe. As at October 2013 it employed 55,900 people and operated 1.5 billion passenger journeys annually.
History[]
The company was founded by TSK Cowie in Sunderland in 1938 as a second hand motorcycle dealer trading as T Cowie Limited. In 1948 the business was re-launched by Tom Cowie, the founder's son, still selling motorcycles. T Cowie plc was floated in December 1964, and in 1965 it purchased the first of many car dealerships.
In 1972 it formed Cowie Contract Hire which became the largest contract hire business in the United Kingdom. In 1980 T Cowie made its first foray into bus operations, purchasing the Grey-Green operation in London from the George Ewer Group.
In 1984 T Cowie plc acquired the Hanger Group which included Interleasing, a large vehicle leasing business. Further leasing companies acquired were Marley Leasing, RoyScot Drive and Ringway Leasing. Following the retirement of Tom Cowie the company was renamed Cowie Group plc in April 1994.
As part of the privatisation of Singapore bus services, Cowie Group purchased the Tampines Transport business units in September 1995.
Cowie plc purchased United Automobile Services and British Bus in July and August 1996, both had acquired a number of privatised bus companies. As a result of these transactions, in October 1996 Cowie Group was reclassified on the stock exchange from a motor dealer to a transport group.
In November 1997 the company was rebranded as Arriva plc. In that year it also bought Unibus in Denmark, its first venture outside the United Kingdom.
In June 1999 Arriva sold its vehicle hire business to General Motors. In February 2000 Arriva purchased MTL Holdings which included its first UK rail franchises, Merseyrail Electrics and Northern Spirit. In 2002/03 Arriva sold its motor retailing businesses and in February 2006 it sold its vehicle rental business to Northgate. In April 2008 the LNWR train maintenance business in England was purchased.
In 2010 it was reported that the government owned railway companies of France (SNCF) and Germany (Deutsche Bahn) were considering making takeover bids for the business. SNCF subsidiary Keolis and Arriva entered discussions regarding a merger, however in April 2010 Deutsche Bahn made a takeover offer for Arriva at 775 pence a share (£1.585 billion). The takeover was approved by the European Commission in August 2010, conditional on Deutsche Bahn disposing of some Arriva services in Germany. The takeover took effect on 27 August 2010 with Arriva delisted from the London Stock Exchange on 31 August 2010.
In late 2011 Arriva purchased Grand Central Railway and sold its Arriva Scotland West bus operation. In May 2013 Arriva purchased Veolia Transport's Central European business with 3,400 vehicles.
Arriva changed the logo in January 2018, which is similar to Frasers Centrepoint Malls. In March 2019, DB announced that they are going to sell Arriva and Frasers Centrepoint Malls either through sale or floatation.
Current operations[]
United Kingdom[]
Bus & Coach[]
Arriva's bus network in the UK originates from its acquisition of Grey-Green in 1980 and British Bus in August 1996. Arriva operates 5,900 buses in London, the north east, north west and south east of England, Yorkshire, the Midlands and Wales. More of them were acquired under Arriva London:
- Boroline Maidstone - 1997
- Cowie Leaside - 1997
- Cowie South London - 1997
- Grey Green - 1998
- Kentish Bus - 1997
- London Country South West - 1997
- London Links - 1997
Train[]
Arriva has operated a number of franchises in the UK since rail privatisation in 1996 through Arriva UK Trains. It gained the first franchises in February 2000. It ran a different number of companies:
- Arriva Rail London: operates London Overground concession runs until May 2024
- Chiltern Railways: operates services on the Chiltern Main Line, franchise runs until December 2021
- CrossCountry: operates long-distance cross-country routes, franchise runs until February 2020
- Grand Central: open-access operator with services on the East Coast Main Line purchased in November 2011
- Northern: franchise runs until 31 March 2025
- Great North Western Railway: open-access operator will commence services on the West Coast Main Line in September 2019
Arriva UK Trains wishes to expand the number of UK Rail businesses it operates by developing open access operations and successfully bidding for further Department for Transport rail franchises. Alliance Rail Holdings continues to develop new open access proposals following the rejection of their initial plans by the Office of Rail Regulation in 2011.
During 2011/12 Arriva's applications to bid for the InterCity West Coast, Greater Anglia, Essex Thameside and Thameslink franchises were all rejected by the Department for Transport. Following this run of failure Arriva was publicly critical of the government's prequalification process and called for it to be abolished. However Arriva has since been shortlisted to for the Greater Western, Crossrail, Caledonian Sleeper and ScotRail franchises.
Singapore[]
Main article: Frasers Centrepoint Malls
In our social group, Wang Tian Jiao, Wang Fan, Gu Ya Ting, Evita Satrio, Cao Si Yuan, Daniel Peter Ho, Tan Yoke Boon, Shaquille and Maritza Mattar and Ratpapha P were being part of it.
South Korea[]
Arriva has signed up the lease to run bus routes in Seoul.
Former Operations[]
United Kingdom and Singapore[]
Bus[]
- Arriva Scotland West sold to McGill's Bus Services in March 2012
- Arriva Horsham sold to Metrobus in 2009
- The Original Tour sold to RATP in 2014
Train[]
- Arriva Trains Merseyside ran urban rail services on Merseyside from February 2000 until March 2003
- Arriva Trains Northern ran local rail services in Northern England from February 2000 until December 2004
- Wrexham & Shropshire joint venture open access operation (50% shareholding). Ran services between Wrexham and London, ceased January 2011
- Overground rail operations in Singapore, joint venture by 50% of SMRT Corporation from December 2007 to November 2016, now operated as Arriva Rail Singapore.
- Tyne and Wear Metro operated from April 2010 until March 2017
Branding[]
Prior to being rebranded as Arriva in November 1997, the Cowie fleets generally were still trading under their pre-privatisation names with individual liveries. As part of the rebranding the operations were renamed as Arriva Derby, Arriva Fox County etc.
A uniform livery of aquamarine (pantone 321) with a cream coloured semicircle at the front with a yellow skirt and signwriting was adopted. This livery was adopted by most by Arriva's European acquisitions as well as Arriva Trains Northern and Arriva Trains Wales. The same livery was applied to the Arriva London fleet albeit with red in lieu of aquamarine to comply with a Transport for London requirement for buses to be 80% red. Latterly, London vehicles have been painted all-over red to comply with Transport for London's new requirements.
In the mid-2000s an aquamarine livery with less cream, a dark blue skirt and yellow stripe was adopted for some longer distance services in the United Kingdom. Dubbed the interurban livery, in September 2009 it was decided to adopt this livery as standard for all UK buses. Most European operations retain the old livery, although some Czech buses have also received it. In December 2008 Arriva Trains Wales unveiled a dark blue livery on its Mark 2 carriages, this has since been adopted as its standard livery.
Exceptions to standard livery include:
- Arriva London - red livery
- Arriva Shires & Essex - red livery for its Transport for London routes
- Arriva Southern Counties - red livery for its Transport for London routes
- Arriva Montfort - red
- Chiltern Railways - existing white & blue livery retained, superseded in 2013 by a white & silver livery
- CrossCountry - maroon, grey & pink
- Grand Central - existing black & orange livery retained
- Green Line Coaches - light & dark green
- GlasgowFlyer - white, green & black
- London Overground - livery specified by Transport for London
- New Enterprise Coaches - white with red logos
- Spurt - red & white
- Tellings-Golden Miller and all of its subsidiaries
- Wardle Transport - Arriva livery but with red in lieu of aquamarine
- Yorkshire Tiger - orange
Arriva has introduced the Sapphire brand for its premium services in similar fashion to Stagecoach Gold with buses fitted with leather sets and WiFi.
See also[]
- List of bus operating companies
- List of railway companies
References[]
External links[]
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