Another year of delivery and growth at Arriva

Leading European passenger transport group Arriva today publishes a review of its performance in the 12 months to 31 December 2013 and an update on its current operating position.

• UK rail: strong bids submitted for Crossrail, ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper franchises
• The growth journey continues: further expansion in current territories and new market entries ahead
• Expansion in Central and Eastern Europe drives revenue and EBITDA growth
• Fourth successive year of around 90% share of EBITDA invested in operations
• Customer focus drives further improvements in operational performance and service levels

David Martin, Arriva CEO, said: "As expected, I am very pleased to report another strong year of growth for Arriva, underpinned by the development of our market leading positions in Central and Eastern Europe, a relentless focus on our customers and major advances in innovative technology. We are investing heavily in our businesses and our people and we are seeing the results in continued robust revenue and EBITDA growth. Our growth journey is set to continue."

He continued: "Our strong track record of delivery and customer service means we are well positioned to take advantage of the significant opportunities emerging in passenger transport markets across Europe. We have already demonstrated our ability to create real value for tendering authorities in those markets. We will continue to work as a strategic partner to help shape transport networks and provide customer centric solutions that meet the evolving needs of travelling passengers."

Delivering for our customers through operational excellence

• Consistently outstanding customer satisfaction levels across the group with, for example, all UK rail franchises scoring higher than the national average, and Arriva topping the table in client body customer satisfaction ratings in Denmark and in the Netherlands.
• Capital investment across the group over the last two years at €750 million.
• Joint venture business London Overground Rail Operations Limited (LOROL) won prestigious title of ‘European Commuter Operator of the Year’ at European Rail Congress Awards.

Continued growth and expansion

• GNER application filed to introduce new high speed ‘Pendolino’ rail services in December 2016 which would reduce London - Edinburgh journey times by circa 13 per cent.
• Series of pilot rail projects proposed in France to drive the development of the French regional rail market and create cost savings for customers, transport authorities, and the French taxpayer.
• Acquisition of Abellio’s operations in Czech Republic, following the earlier 2013 acquisition of Veolia Transport Central Europe. Further contract wins in Poland and Slovenia strengthening Arriva’s position as the leading operator in Central and Eastern Europe and positioning us well for further growth.
• Working in partnership with NHS trusts, with 16 contracts across the UK delivering non-emergency patient transport services.
• A strategic approach to recruiting and developing people to ensure Arriva has a highly engaged and committed workforce focused on delivering quality customer service; appointment of 80 new apprentices.

Innovation and technology

• Acquisition of Zeta Automotive, a leading eco technology innovator which develops and supplies a range of products to significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions output.
• CrossCountry led the industry trial of Advance train tickets for sale on the day of travel up to 10 minutes before departure.
• Focus on innovation including work with the Dutch government to introduce the OV-Chipkaart - a national integrated transport smartcard - and investment in state-of-the art and environmentally friendly depots and facilities in Portugal and Italy.
• Arriva UK Bus, the first operator to introduce mobile phone ticketing across a national network in 2009, launched new Arriva Bus App for iPhones and Android-powered smartphones, with more than 100,000 downloads to date.
• Technology strength recognised with ’Mobile Technology’ prize at inaugural UK Rail Industry Awards and ‘Technology Innovation’ prize at prestigious Rail Business Awards.

Focus for 2014

• Further opportunities in 2014 for Arriva to strengthen its leading position across Europe.
• Strong bids submitted for Scotrail, Crossrail and Caledonian Sleeper franchises, drawing on a wealth of experience of working with transport clients and operating rail services across seven countries and a range of networks from urban to inter-city long distance.

Enquiries:

Notes to editors

• Arriva is one of the largest providers of passenger transport in Europe, employing some 54,500 people and delivering more than 2.2 billion passenger journeys every year.
• We provide transport services including buses, trains, commuter coaches and waterbuses, and operate in 14 European countries: Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
• Arriva is part of Deutsche Bahn, one of the world’s leading passenger transport and logistics service providers. Headquartered in Sunderland, UK, Arriva is responsible for Deutsche Bahn's regional passenger transport services outside of Germany.
• NPRS overall satisfaction (%) Autumn 2013 (published by Passenger Focus)