Senior appointments strengthen Arriva's UK Trains division

Arriva plc, one of Europe’s largest transport servicesorganisations, today announced two senior appointments within itsUK Trains division, following the company’s recent success inwinning the CrossCountry franchise, which starts operations on 11November 2007.

Bob Holland has been appointed to the role of managing director– UK Trains with immediate effect. In his new role Bob willhave overall accountability for all Arriva’s UK railoperations, with the existing Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) businessand the CrossCountry franchise reporting directly to him.

Bob has more than 30 years' experience in the bus and railindustries including six years developing Arriva's mainlandEuropean operations, overseeing the rail business in theNetherlands and setting up Arriva's rail operations in Denmark.Under his leadership ATW, which he took over as managing directorin 2006, has achieved record punctuality and reliability for thefranchise.

Peter Telford will take up the role of director – raildevelopment. In this role, Peter will work with Bob in managing themobilisation of CrossCountry, and will continue to assess strategicdevelopment opportunities including future UK rail bids. Peter ledArriva’s successful bid for the CrossCountry franchise andhas extensive financial and rail management experience.

David Martin, chief executive of Arriva, said: "Theseappointments support the delivery of our future business strategyand our continued success as a leading pan-European passenger railoperator.

“Our UK Trains division has developed strongly this yearwith ATW sustaining excellent improvements in operationalperformance, and the forthcoming start of the CrossCountryfranchise transforms the outlook for the UK Trains division as awhole.”

Notes to editors:

• Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) – ATW is a 15-yearfranchise which started in December 2003. It providesinter-urban, rural and commuter passenger rail services throughoutWales and the English border counties.

ATW’s network stretches from Manchester through north andsouth Wales and across to Birmingham and Gloucester. Thebusiness operates 120 trains over a 1009 mile network and manages237 stations of which 53 are staffed. It is supported by 2,000employees.

• CrossCountry – The CrossCountry network is themost extensive rail franchise in the UK. Stretching from Aberdeento Penzance, and from Stansted to Cardiff, it covers around 1,500route miles and calls at over 100 stations.

Arriva will run the franchise under a new CrossCountry brand andlivery. The centre of operations will be in Birmingham, at theheart of the network and the largest city served by it.

Arriva’s successful bid for the franchise featured thefollowing benefits for travellers:

35 per cent increase in seating capacity in criticalevening peak on principal routes by June 2009

at-seat catering on all routes, for all passengers, notjust First Class

radical improvements in ticketing and reservationbooking, including home printing of tickets and tickets by mobilephone, with discounted tickets available much closer to the startof travel

investment in improved rolling stock, with all othertrains refurbished to the standard of the popular Voyagers

the reintroduction of HSTs to provide 550-seat trainson busy routes

Wi-Fi available to all Voyager and HST passengers, freein First Class.

• Arriva plc – Arriva is one of thelargest private sector providers of passenger transport in mainlandEurope, employing more than 34,000 people and providing more thanone billion passenger journeys every year.

The group provides transport services including buses, trains,commuter coaches and water buses, and operates in nine Europeancountries: Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Germany, theNetherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK. From December 2007we will also operate train services in north-westPoland.