FIRSTGROUP PLC - Statement re: Shortlisting for East Anglia franchise

FIRSTGROUP PLC
(‘FirstGroup’ or ‘the Group’)

Statement re: SHORTLISTING FOR EAST ANGLIA FRANCHISE COMPETITION

FirstGroup has been shortlisted for the East Anglia rail franchise competition by the Department for Transport.

Commenting, Tim O’Toole, FirstGroup Chief Executive said:

“We have extensive experience of intercity, regional and commuter services, such as those that make up the East Anglia franchise, and we have a strong track record in delivering passenger growth as well as capacity and infrastructure upgrades on the franchises we run - First Great Western and First TransPennine Express. We look forward to reviewing the East Anglia franchise contract details and submitting an innovative, compelling, and value for money bid which meets the needs of taxpayers as well as customers and businesses along the route.”
 

Contacts at FirstGroup:

Faisal Tabbah, Group Investor Relations Manager

Stuart Butchers, Group Head of Media

Tel: [phone]

Contacts at Brunswick PR:

Michael Harrison / Andrew Porter, Tel: [phone]

Notes

FirstGroup plc (LSE: FGP.L) is the leading transport operator in the UK and North America.  With revenues of more than £6.7 billion in 2013/14 and around 110,000 employees, we transported around 2.5 billion passengers last year.  Each of our five divisions is a leader in its field: First Student is the largest provider of student transportation in North America with a fleet of around 49,000 yellow school buses, First Transit is one of the largest providers of outsourced transit management and contracting services in the US, while Greyhound is the only national operator of scheduled intercity coach services across North America.  In the UK, FirstGroup is one of Britain's largest bus operators running a fleet of some 6,400 buses, and we are one of the largest operators of passenger rail services in the UK, carrying more than 330 million passengers last year, with experience of running all types of rail network.

Our vision is to provide solutions for an increasingly congested world... keeping people moving and communities prospering.

Visit our website at www.firstgroupplc.com

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