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Trains at the Elizabeth Line depot at Old Oak Common, in west London
TRANSPORT for London (TfL) has awarded the contract for the Elizabeth Line to an international conglomerate despite Labour’s recent pledge to renationalise Britain’s railways within five years.
MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Limited’s operations are to be taken over by GTS Rail Operations Limited, a joint venture between Go Ahead Group, Tokyo Metro and Sumitomo Corporation.
TfL claimed its current approach would continue to offer “a high performing and cost-effective Elizabeth Line operation” as it announced the contract will begin in May and lasts for seven years, with an option to extend for an additional two.
The HS2 debacle exposes what happens when public infrastructure is handed to private contractors – especially when set against China’s state-led high-speed rail success, says CARLOS MARTINEZ
