Investment and innovation drives another year of growth for Arriva

RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2017

(London – 23 March, 2018) Arriva, a leading pan-European passenger transport provider, today announced its annual financial results showing revenue growth of 4.9% in 2017 - bringing total revenues to more than €5.3bn. This growth enabled Arriva to invest nearly €400m to fund improvements to passenger journeys across the UK and mainland Europe.

In the year under review, Arriva retained the €1.6bn ‘Northern Lines’ 15-year train contract in the Netherlands and the eight-year €550m Pågatågen train contract in Sweden. The company also acquired a majority stake in Croatia’s Autotrans Group (ATG), making it the largest private bus operator in the country. These successes are expected to generate over €2bn in future revenue.

In the UK, Arriva became the first national bus operator to launch a flexible, fully demand-responsive public transport service; ArrivaClick. The innovative new service is designed to make public transport more attractive and encourage people out of their cars, helping to reduce air pollution and congestion in urban areas. The service, piloted in Kent, is due to be expanded this summer.

Arriva is also investing around £600m in new and refurbished trains and station improvements for the UK-based Northern franchise – part of the biggest local rail investment programme in the region for a generation. The investment promises a step-change in quality with the first of 98 new trains arriving from December.

Other significant highlights in 2017 include: 

• In the Netherlands, Arriva signed a contract with Stadler to introduce the world’s first fleet of hybrid trains which will run on a partially-electrified line between Leeuwarden and Groningen. Uniquely, the 18 trains can be converted for zero-emission journeys and will run on batteries on non-electrified parts of the route.

• In the UK, Arriva invested over €200m in UK transport, including the purchase of 489 new, greener buses, and the opening of two new Bus Apprentice Academies in Derby and St Helens.

• In Poland, Slovakia and the Netherlands, Arriva introduced new bike-sharing schemes to offer healthier lifestyle and mobility options.

• In Sweden, Arriva trialled pioneering technology – econospeed – with a driver advisory system to reduce our carbon footprint. Results show fuel and carbon savings of up to 5%.

Manfred Rudhart, Chief Executive Officer, Arriva Group, said: “2017 was a great year for Arriva as we continued to grow, innovate and create outstanding value for our customers.

It was not without its challenges, particularly in relation to the demanding market conditions for UK Bus and industrial relations issues within our UK Trains business. 

However, we continued to build on our successes, investing heavily to improve the quality of our services to make them more convenient and attractive for our passengers. This included the introduction of journey planning apps, contactless ticketing systems, and new web and app-based ticket retailing platforms.

We also maintained our focus on supporting sustainable transport. From bike share schemes in Poland and Slovakia to demand responsive services in the UK and Slovenia, we’re actively encouraging sustainable mobility, helping to ease congestion and improve air quality in urban areas – something that is increasingly important as we look to reduce our environmental impact.”

To find out more about our year in 2017 click: www.arrivaannualhighlights.co.uk

ENDS