RRSG0003 - Expansion of International Passenger Rail Depot Capacity. Potential Public Private Partnership opportunity

To ensure we take the right approach, the Department for Transport would like to understand private partner investor interest in this opportunity. We plan to hold initial conversations (up to a maximum of 30 mins for each session) with potential investors over Microsoft Teams week commencing 3rd November 2025.

The strength of demand in the international passenger rail market is evidenced by the significant and active interest that major rail operators have in joining the market. It is envisaged that access charges to depot facilities would generate from consistent long-term returns for an investor in international passenger rail depot capacity.

The objective of this-preliminary market engagement is to understand potential private investor interest for funding the expansion of international passenger rail depot capacity in London and the Southeast. Including understanding:

• Potential investors’ interest and views on the investment opportunity
• Preferred commercial and delivery structures
• Risk appetite and related considerations
• Other related potential revenue streams, linked to investment in depot capacity expansion, that could generate investment return

Organisations wishing to participate should note that engaging in this preliminary market engagement exercise, including completing and returning a questionnaire response, is not a prerequisite to participating in any subsequent competitive process.

Department for Transport will review response to this engagement process and may conduct further iterative engagement processes, as it may require.

In any subsequent procurement Department for Transport will make all relevant market engagement documents available to potential suppliers.

Participation in this market engagement exercise (including attendance at a market engagement event) will be wholly at each responding organisation's own cost. No expenses or costs incurred by any organisation responding to this notice and/or participating in this engagement process will be reimbursed by the Department for Transport.

This market engagement exercise and any associated documents or communications should not be regarded as an investment recommendation or defined opportunity. No information contained in the documents or in any communication made between Department for Transport and any organisation in connection with any aspect of this market engagement exercise shall be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement or representation that any contract shall be awarded. Whether or not the Department for Transport subsequently commences a procurement and/or thereafter awards any contract related to this potential opportunity shall be solely at its discretion.

The Department for Transport intends to issue a brief post engagement questionnaire to parties that have taken part.

If you would like to take part in this engagement, you must formally express your interest via the Jaggaer online portal using the following link: dft.app.jaggaer.com/go/315617550199856E55A5 ↗

To register your interest in the preliminary market engagement, please ensure you:

Upload a signed copy of the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) – note that the NDA must be accepted in its standard form and must not be amended.

Submit your completed questionnaire response.

Provide the names and email addresses of up to two attendees who will represent your organisation.

If you are not already registered on the Department for Transport's e-sourcing platform Jaggaer, you can register via the following link: dft.app.jaggaer.com ↗