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Transport market characteristics

We work in a variety of different environments, and we have a wealth of experience of different transport markets and their characteristics.

The following market summaries were produced in March 2009.

Czech Republic

Population: 10.2 million

Bus
Regional government controls route licensing and maximum fares, and individual cities are responsible for urban public transport and its funding. There is currently little competitive tendering, and direct award of concessions is not uncommon. There are around 250 bus companies operating in the market, many of which are the inter-urban CSAD companies that were formed in the 1990s as part of the original privatisation process.

Rail
Regional rail routes have been transferred to local government and competitive tendering has recently started in some regions, with the potential to expand in the mid to near future. Rail in the Czech Republic is dominated by state-owned CD which has a 99 per cent share of the market.

Future
There is a gradual move towards competitive bus tendering, particularly in cities such as Prague where the market is growing. We have built a position around Prague and are well placed to grow as the market opens.
The government has committed to enhancing the role of the private sector in the Czech Republic rail market. There has been some market testing of passenger concessions by regional and central government.

Denmark

Population: 5.4 million

Bus
The Danish bus market is a mature regulated market. Six Passenger Transport Authorities have the responsibility for public transport services, including determining ticket prices, timetables and contract duration in their regions. Contracts are typically gross cost, of six years in length. Quality and service incentives apply.

Rail
The rail market was opened to public tendering in 2000. It is dominated by state-owned DSB (Danish State Railways), which operates contracts under direct award from the Ministry of Transport.

Future
It is expected that one-third of DSB’s regional rail kilometes will be competitively tendered in the next 10 years, and there is potential that 25 per cent of DSB will be privatised in the near future. Our experience means we are well placed to benefit from the increased levels of rail tendering expected in this market.

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Germany

Population: 82.3 million

Germany is the largest European transport market, and we are developing a network of bus and rail operations across the country.

Bus
The highly regulated bus market is almost three times as big as that of the UK. It is hugely fragmented and dominated by public sector companies, including state-owned Deutsche Bahn (DB). Conditiions differ widely between the regions, and a substantial proportion of the market is still closed, with the exception of the federal state of Hesse which has decided on a programme to tender all bus services between now and 2010.

Rail
The rail market is also dominated by DB, however 20 per cent of the regional rail network has now been competitively tendered by regional authorities, with around half of the routes awarded going to the private sector.

Future
Economic pressures are increasingly driving the need for market testing in Germany. With high state capital subsidies due to end, private companies are becoming an increasingly attractive option for the regional authorities. In rail, it is expected that more short-distance passenger routes will be put up for tender. There is much exciting potential for future growth, in both bus and rail, in this emerging market.

Hungary

Population: 10.1 million

Bus
The national government is responsible for regional public transport provision, whilst municipalities are responsible for local public transport, and may provide this through municipally-owned operators. New contracts may only be awarded to an operator selected by a tendering procedure, however contracts signed before 2004 can remain in force for eight years, so there is currently little tendering. Regional services are primarily operated by the state-owned Volan companies.

Rail
The Hungarian rail market has not yet opened to liberalisation and remains dominated by state-owned service providers. The rail market is not expected to open to competitive tendering in the near future.

Future
There is potential for city transport companies to introduce tenders to operate bus services. The Volan companies have committed to sub-contracting some of their services.

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Italy

Population: 59.1 million

Bus
The public transport system in Italy is highly subsidised with low fares. With competitive tendering yet to emerge fully, the situation in Italy remains diverse. The market is highly fragmented with a large number of local operators, owned principally by regions and municipalities.

Rail
The responsibility for regional rail networks is devolved to local authorities, however early attempts at competitive tendering have failed. The state-owned passenger rail operator, Trenitalia, has an 83 per cent market share, with 26 region-owned operators sharing the remaining 17 per cent. If, and when, competitive tendering commences in the rail market, we will monitor any regional developments with interest.

Future
Successive changes in government have delayed the liberalisation process. Nevertheless, we are constructively working with municipal companies, and local and regional authorities to find innovative transport solutions. We continue to believe that further opening of the market remains in the interests of the authorities, potentially bringing medium-term opportunities for Arriva.

Netherlands

Population: 16.4 million

Bus
The 19 regional authorities in the Netherlands have had responsibility for public transport since January 2001 when the Passenger Transport Act 2000 came into force. The regional authorities are obliged to organise public transport into concessions, which are periodically put out to open tender. Three big cities in the Netherlands, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Hague, are yet to put concessions out to tender.

The market is still dominated by formerly state-owned Connexxion. Arriva is one of the three largest private bus operators in the Netherlands, with approximately 20 per cent of the regional bus market.

Rail
Very little of the rail network has been competitively tendered to date, but as regional rail responsibility transfers to regional authorities, this is due to increase. The rail market is dominated by state-owned NS Rail, and Arriva is the largest private operator.

Future
We will continue to build on our established position as one of the leading private bus and rail operators in the Netherlands. Having developed a strong reputation for operational reliability and passenger growth, we are well placed to benefit from further liberalisation in this market.

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Poland

Population: 38.2 million

Bus
There are increasing instances of bus tendering and sub-contracting in the larger towns and cities. The bus market is divided between 167 publicly-owned companies (PKS), providing rural, inter-urban and long-distance transport, and around 140 municipal bus operators operating in towns and cities.

Rail
PKP SA, the state-owned railway company, dominates the rail passenger market. After entering the market in December 2007, with the start of a three-year rail franchise in the north west of the country, the Arriva-PCC joint venture is the only other company currently operating tendered passenger rail services in Poland.

Future
There may be opportunities to grow in bus following the government’s announcement of its intention to privatise up to 11 PKS companies during 2009.

Regional rail provision has been devolved to the regions, potentially creating further opportunities in this market.

Portugal

Population: 10.6 million

Bus
The bus market in Portugal is a regulated market in transition, with no competitive tendering. Municipalities are responsible for allocating routes or transport service networks by awarding exclusive concessions to independent operators, or by delivering the services directly. The national government is responsible for setting fares.

Rail
Urban and regional rail services are operated under concessions allocated by the state, dominated by state-owned Camboios de Portugal. The first and only private company to hold a rail concession is Fertagus, owned by Barraqueiro. Through Barraqueiro, we also have an interest in the Metro Sul do Tejo tram operation in Lisbon.

Future
Work is underway to alter the legislation in force for bus public transport provision at a regional and national level. Metropolitan transport authorities are in the process of being established for the cities of Lisbon and Oporto.
There are no early signs of a move to competitive tendering in the rail market, but when changes do occur, we are well placed to benefit through the established good reputation of Fertagus.

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Slovakia

Population: 5.4 million

Bus
Competitive tendering of contracts is not yet common practice in Slovakia. City authorities are responsible for public transport provision and funding. In some cities, services are operated by city-owned companies, in other areas services are typically provided by the local operators, SADs, through public-interest contracts, with exclusive rights of up to nine years. Arriva’s Eurobus business has a 60 per cent interest in two of these, SAD Novézámky and SAD Michalovce.

Rail
Rail is operated by Slovak Railways, the state monopoly incumbent rail company. No rail privatisation has taken place.

Future
Privatisation is underway in the bus market, and will remain a theme in coming years. In rail, regional procurement is due to be devolved to regional authorities in the coming years.

Spain

Population: 44.5 million

Bus
The urban bus market is operated by private and city-owned companies, whilst the inter-urban and long-distance concessions are operated by private companies. Long concessions have typically been granted, with exclusive rights.

Traditionally the bus market in Spain is diverse, with many operators. A number of larger bus groups are emerging, however the market remains fragmented with 4,000 plus small operators, including a large number of family businesses.

Rail
The rail passenger market is yet to liberalise, and is dominated by state railway companies, with funding provided for loss-making regional and urban services. There are no immediate plans to implement competitive tendering.

Future
Many bus concessions with exclusive rights over long periods will expire over the next five years, bringing opportunities for bidding for these concessions. We have focused on building a strong presence in the greater Madrid area, and we are well placed to benefit from any market developments.

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Sweden

Population: 9.1 million

Bus
Competitive tendering is well established in the Swedish bus market, after deregulation commenced in the 1980s. Bus contracts are typically six years in length, gross cost, with quality incentives and bonus / penalty regimes.

Rail
The rail market is dominated by the state-owned operator, Swedish Railways. Regional rail contracts are typically gross cost contracts of between three and five years. Inter-regional services tend to be net cost, with some awards of between 10 and 15 years.

Future
Transport markets in Sweden have benefited from a significant passenger increase over recent years, and present a growth opportunity for both our bus and rail businesses. We will be working hard to ensure our operations make the most of this passenger growth and will be looking to expand our bus operations and build upon our rail presence in Sweden.

UK

Population: 60.5 million

Bus
The UK bus market has two different operating environments:

UK Regions: Outside London, the UK bus market is deregulated, having been privatised in the mid 1980s. Bus companies operate on a commercial basis, providing services where our relationship is direct with the customer, and we take full revenue risk. Where there is deemed to be a social need for services, local authorities may contract out services to operators on routes that would not otherwise be commercially viable.

London: In London the bus market is regulated, and is contracted out by the city’s transport authority, Transport for London (TfL). Contracts specify the required routes, vehicles and timetables and are closely monitored to ensure high quality services, with TfL bearing the revenue risk under gross cost contracts.

Rail
The UK rail market is competitively tendered, with companies bidding for franchises of set timescales and service provision. UK rail franchises are generally much larger than their equivalents in mainland Europe.

Future
In both the UK regions and London, we aim to maintain our bus market share, whilst working to improve operational performance. In rail, we will be concentrating on maintaining and improving the excellent operational performance of our two franchises.

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