Article: Connex may soon run the trams, too

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From the Melbourne Age click here!

Connex may soon run the trams, too

Connex may soon run the trams, too
Clay Lucas
June 12, 2009

CONNEX could soon be in the running to operate Melbourne's trams as well as its trains, after its French parent company confirmed it wanted to take control of the company behind Yarra Trams.

The State Government will announce within weeks its preferred contractors to run Melbourne's trains and trams for the next eight years.

Connex, owned by French firm Veolia, is bidding for the train contract.

Yarra Trams, half-owned by France's Transdev, is bidding for the contract to run the city's trams.

Veolia yesterday confirmed, in a statement posted on its French website, that it was looking to acquire or take a major shareholding in Transdev.

The statement said Veolia was "interested in any situation entailing a change in the share ownership of Transdev".

Connex's Melbourne office declined to comment on the proposed acquisition or merger by its French parent company.

But public transport lobbyists said travellers would be concerned if Connex ended up running the city's trams.

"Most passengers would say (Connex) needs to lift its game, and if it loses the train contract but is still active in Melbourne running the trams, most people would hope they would do a better job," Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said.