Extension of rolling stock lease with Eversholt Rail Limited for Class 397 vehicles that are already operated on the TPE rail network.

Description

In preparation for an award of a National Rail Contract from the Department for Transport to Transpennine Express Limited (operated by First Group), it is intended to extend the rolling stock lease with Eversholt Rail Limited for the fleets of trains currently under lease with Eversholt Rail Limited. The leases are expected to be extended in accordance with paragraph II.2.4 below. The Contracting Authority will observe a 10 day standstill period from the date of issue of this notice prior to entering into the lease extensions with Eversholt Rail Limited. The Standstill Period will end on 10th April 2023. Please see PIN Ref (published by DfT) : 2022/S 000-006951 Dated 15th March 2022. Lot 1: The Contracting Authority intends to extend the rolling stock leases in accordance with Regulation 50(1)(c)(ii) of the Utilities Contract Regulations 2016 for technical reasons. This is because there is no other UK based fleets available in sufficient quantities or within the requisite timeframe to meet TPE's needs for the National Rail Contract. TPE intend to award a lease extension with Eversholt Rail Limited for the Class 397 rolling stock. The current lease expires in May 2023 and it is intended to extend the lease until May 2028 with a with a further 4 year option until May 2031 or an option to extend the lease from May 2023 to May 2031.