The trains will operate on the Windsor, Reading and West London routes and be based at Wimbledon depot, where South Western employees will carry out day-to-day maintenance with the help of Bombardier staff on the site, who will supply technical advice and spares. The first carriages will arrive from 2019 and the installation will be completed by 2010. "This multi-million pound investment in a new fleet of British-built trains is excellent news for South Western passengers and the British economy".
Richard Hunter, UK managing director of Bombardier Transportation, said that he was thrilled to have won the contract which demonstrates further confidence placed in the market leading rolling stock designed and built in Britain. They will have wide gangways between cars, wide doors to facilitate rapid boarding and alighting, 2+2 seating, free wi-fi, at-seat USB charging points, real-time passenger information screens, air-conditioning and wheelchair-accessible toilets.
General secretary Mick Cash said: 'There is an agreement in place on South West Trains that there will be no extension of driver only operation and no threat to guards jobs or roles and that agreement transfers with the undertaking to the First MTR South Western franchise'.
All trains will be in service by the end of 2020.
FirstGroup, also operator of the Great Western franchise, will run the Southern Western franchise - trains to London from cities such as Bristol and Exeter - along with MTR from August 20.
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"This investment reflects our commitment, and that of train operators, to put passengers at the heart of everything we do, and will improve journeys and target congestion".
FirstGroup boss Steve Montgomery said that having listened to passengers and stakeholders, a key request was additional seats.
"This order is a fantastic endorsement of our skilled workforce and the quality of the products we design, engineer and manufacture here in the UK".
Funding of the rolling stock has been led by leasing company Rock Rail and partners SL Capital and GLIL Infrastructure.
They will increase capacity during peak times by 46 per cent, South Western say.
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