Search Begins For High-Quality Suppliers for IEP Programme

London, 11 March 2009 - Agility Trains today announced that its principal suppliers, Hitachi Europe Rail Group and John Laing, will hold a series of supplier events to meet potential UK and European supply partners.

These events are designed to start a conversation about cooperating on this exciting project.

Initially, Hitachi Europe Rail Group is looking to identify high-quality suppliers for Rolling Stock Equipment.

Agility Trains is asking all companies interested in being considered in this selection process to register via www.agilitytrains.com.

The events will be by invitation only, as the consortium is keen to ensure the events are managed to provide opportunities for valuable conversations. Over the next few months Agility Trains principal suppliers, Hitachi Europe Rail Group and John Laing, will contact selected registrants with further details of events that best meet their needs and, in the meantime, ask suppliers to be patient.

The Department for Transport recently announced the consortium comprising Barclays Private Equity, John Laing and Hitachi as preferred bidder for the Intercity Express Programme (IEP). Agility Trains will provide the train which is set to become the centrepiece of the UK intercity fleet once it is introduced from 2013 onwards. As part of its strong commitment to the UK rail market, Hitachi will, in stages, establish assembly and manufacturing operations in the UK that will be operated to support the delivery of the East coast fleet in 2015.

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