NETHERLANDS: The province of Gelderland has selected Keolis Nederland to operate Valleilijn services between Amersfoort and Ede-Wageningen via Barneveld for 13 years from the December 2023 timetable change.
The line is currently operated by Transdev subsidiary Connexxion, using a fleet of five Protos EMUs supplied by the former FTD Fahrzeugtechnik Dessau in 2007 and a pair of Stadler Flirt trainsets dating from 2018.
Keolis was selected in a second round of competitive tendering, after the initial call attracted no bids at all. Two bids were received in the second round, and Keolis was judged to have offered the best value for money. The contract is due to be awarded following the conclusion of a six-week objection period which starts on April 19, and will come into effect from December 10.
The province has agreed to take back the commercial risk. It will receive the gross revenue and pay Keolis a fee to operate the specified service on a cost-plus basis. The route will in future be marketed using the RRReis umbrella branding for all public transport in the provinces of Flevoland, Gelderland and Overijssel.
The new operator is expected to take over the staff currently employed by Connexxion and all seven trainsets deployed on the line. Keolis has also committed to undertaking a mid-life refurbishment of the Protos units over the next two years. The EMUs will be fitted with more seats to accommodate a projected increase in ridership.
‘Winning the Valleilijn is great news’, said Keolis Nederland CEO Chris Hogeveen. ‘We continue to build our beautiful rail company. I look forward to working with the province of Gelderland on a more modern Valleilijn, bringing our passengers safely and comfortably to their destinations.’
He said the contract was ‘a great boost’ for the operator after it lost the IJssel-Vecht and Twente contracts. ‘It gives confidence for the future and fits our growth ambition.’
