ROCK RAIL EAST ANGLIA

New rolling stock for East Anglia train franchise in the United Kingdom. The UK Department for Transport is currently procuring a new train operating company (TOC), which will be responsible for procuring new rolling stock to meet the output requirements of the franchise. Rolling stock financiers (ROCSOs) are bidding to the TOCs to supply the trains on a leased basis. This operation is specific to those ROSCOs offering limited-recourse project finance solutions.

New trains purchased under this project are to be used to provide services on rail lines that will deliver travel time savings due to higher speed, better acceleration/deceleration and lower station dwell times, as well as increasing reliability and passenger benefits and significantly increasing capacity (reducing overcrowding) and replacing many old diesel stocks. The new trains will all improve WIFI-coverage, passenger information system and air-conditioning systems. Consequently, the project would attract more passengers to public transport, thereby improving the overall performance of the transport system in terms of speed, environment and safety.

Manufacture of the new train sets will take place in the manufacturer(s)'s plant(s) and does not fall within the scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU; therefore no environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required. During the appraisal it will be assessed whether there are relevant associated facilities, such as new depots, and if that is the case, the due diligence will include verifying compliance of these facilities with relevant EU directives on the environment. The question of the project falling within a plan or a programme requiring a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in line with Directive 2001/42/EC will also be examined during appraisal.

The Bank will require the promoter to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project have been/shall be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directives 2004/18/EC and/or 2004/17/EC as well as Directives 89/665/EEC and 92/13/EEC) as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the EU, as and where required.