Arriva is a private company which runs public transport services throughout the United Kingdom. It is the corporate name of Cowie Group . As well as bus services throughout the country, they also have regular train services:

Arriva Trains Wales / Trenau Arriva Cymru runs passenger services in the Wales and Borders franchise area, previously franchised to the National Express Group, and the North Wales routes formerly franchised to First Group as part of the First North Western franchise. The franchise was awarded for 15 years starting from 7 December 2003 (subject to passing reviews after 5 and 10 years).

Arriva Trains Northern ran local train services in the north of England until December 2004 when the franchise was taken over by Northern Rail.

Arriva Trains Merseyside was the name of the division that ran the Merseyrail franchise from 1998 to 2003. In February 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority extended Arriva's Merseyside franchise to July 2003. The franchise was reawarded in July 2003 to a consortium comprised of Serco and NedRailways (a division of Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Netherlands Railways). The Dutch branch Arriva Nederland is a bus company operating in all provinces of the Netherlands except North Holland, Zeeland, and Limburg; it also owns NoordNed.

ARRIVA Danmark A/S operates buses and trains in Denmark.

In Germany in April 2004 Arriva acquired PE Holding AG (PEG), subsequently renamed PE Arriva AG, the third-largest private railway network in Germany. PEG operates routes in Nordrhein-Westfalen and Brandenburg states and, through a 50% share of Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn GmbH (ODEG), in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In August/September 2004 Arriva bought the Regentalbahn AG for 60 million euro.

They have recently sold their Colchester bus operations to Tellings-Golden Millar .

See also

Conwy Valley Line

External links

• "Trouble at the TOC" - The Story of the Arriva Trains Northern dispute
• Arriva UK
• Arriva Nederland
• Arriva Danmark