Arriva

Arriva Trains Merseyside runs one of the most frequent commuter services outside London. Services run on two lines comprising 120 route-km serving the Liverpool suburban area - the Wirral line, extending under the river Mersey, links Liverpool with West Kirby, Ellesmere Port, New Brighton and Chester. The Northern Line links Liverpool with Ormskirk, Kirkby, Southport and Hunts Cross (map (http://www.arriva.co.uk/Real/Web/Arriva/Internet/lowry.nsf/ee1a4e07c1a489f4802566560048f213/149d84208c0984f880256ba600327a27?OpenDocument)). The ATM network is entirely electrified using third-rail electrification. In February 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority[?] extended Arriva's Merseyside franchise to July 2003. The franchise will be reawarded in July 2003, and Arriva has failed to make the final three preferred bidders. Uniquely, in future the Merseyside franchise (referred to officially as a 'contract') will be awarded by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive[?] rather than the Strategic Rail Authority, because the franchise is self-contained and totally separate from the rest of the British rail network.

The Netherlands branch Arriva Nederland is a bus company operating in the northeast; it also owns 50 % of NoordNed.