Transport for London has announced the new operator of the Elizabeth Line.
GTS Rail Operations Limited, which is a joint venture between Go Ahead Group, Tokyo Metro and Sumitomo Corporation, have won the seven year contract, which is extendable for an additional two years.
GTS will take over from MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Limited in May 2025.
More than 700,000 people use the Elizabeth Line each day and the new operator says it will bring the best parts of Tokyo and London to the Elizabeth Line to optimise its operation.
“The Elizabeth line has had a transformational impact since opening in 2022 and has quickly become one of the most popular and reliable railways in the country. The railway has provided new, more direct journey options which has led to huge numbers of customers using our safe and accessible trains and stations.
“I am delighted that we have appointed GTS Rail Operations to continue to build on the success of the Elizabeth line and I look forward to working with them.”
Claire Mann, TfL’s Chief Operating Officer
Responses
The Elizabeth Line should not be under TfL control because it serves so many stations that are not in London and therefore a population that has no vote for the Mayor of London. Ideally both the Elizabeth and Thameslink lines and Watford – Croydon via Kensington Olympia should be under the same management and a common cross-London brand possibly as part of GB Railways rather than TfL, which at least has some democratic oversight via the DFT, and Parliament.