The award of two new passenger rail franchises by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) represented the biggest transformation of rail journeys in the north of England for decades.

As supply chain partner to a joint venture of CH2M (now part of Jacobs) and the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), Direx Solutions was selected to provide evaluation services for the Northern and TransPennine Express (TPE) Rail Franchises competition process.

Following separate, rigorous competitions, the nine-year Northern franchise was awarded to Arriva, and the seven-year TransPennine Express (TPE) franchise to First. The franchises oversaw significant investment in new rolling stock, improved train services and additional capacity.