Quintus Vosman

THE Dutch province of Limburg has awarded Arriva a 15-year concession to operate regional rail and bus services after the discovery of irregularities in the tendering process led to the disqualification of the preferred bidder, Netherlands Railways (NS) subsidiary Abellio.

BELGIAN public transport operator De Lijn has exercised an option worth €97m with Bombardier for 40 additional Flexity 2 low-floor LRVs, which will be used on the metre-gauge tram networks in Antwerp and Ghent.

DUTCH secretary of state for infrastructure Mrs Wilma Mansveld announced on May 27 that the Dutch government will allocate €88m towards the construction of a new line from Utrecht Central to Leidsche Rijn, a major new housing development west of the city.

THE Dutch province of Overijssel and infrastructure manager Prorail have awarded Volker Rail, Netherlands, a contract to electrify the 40km Zwolle – Wierden line.

GERMANY's Federal Railway Authority (EBA) has granted Škoda Transportation a Supplementary Authorisation to Place in Service (SAPS) for its type 109E electric locomotive, enabling the design to operate in regular service on the German railway network.

THE Swiss Federal Council approved a mandate on May 20 for the country to negotiate membership of the European Railway Agency (ERA), which is part of the European Union (EU).

SVF, the public transport operator in the German city of Frankfurt-an-der-Oder, has published a tender notice in the Official Journal of the European Union for a contract to supply 13 new LRVs for the city's 20km metre-gauge tram network.

A cross-party Dutch parliamentary committee, set up in December 2013 to investigate the V250 Fyra high-speed train fiasco, will start public hearings on May 18 which will continue until June 12.

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket has selected Strukton Rail to modernise and remodel Tomteboda station, just north of Stockholm main station.