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| FirstGroup's Great Western rail deal extended to 2019 | FirstGroup's Great Western rail deal extended to 2019 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Transport company FirstGroup has extended its deal with the government to run services on the Great Western rail network until 2019. | Transport company FirstGroup has extended its deal with the government to run services on the Great Western rail network until 2019. |
| The new franchise covers a period in which a series of upgrades will take place along the Great Western network. | The new franchise covers a period in which a series of upgrades will take place along the Great Western network. |
| Those improvements include electric train services for the first time on the network, starting with services in the Thames Valley. | Those improvements include electric train services for the first time on the network, starting with services in the Thames Valley. |
| Upgrades will also include additional train capacity at peak times. | Upgrades will also include additional train capacity at peak times. |
| First Great Western will pay the government about £68m to operate the franchise - which operates services between London, the Cotswolds, South Wales and the South West - from September 2015 until April 2019. | |
| The Department for Transport (DfT) said passengers would benefit from the addition of three million extra seats across the network by 2018. | The Department for Transport (DfT) said passengers would benefit from the addition of three million extra seats across the network by 2018. |
| It also said more services to Devon and Cornwall would be added to the timetable, and 369 new train carriages introduced to the network. | It also said more services to Devon and Cornwall would be added to the timetable, and 369 new train carriages introduced to the network. |
| The DfT added that capacity during the morning rush hour commute to London would increase by 4,000 seats by December 2018. | The DfT added that capacity during the morning rush hour commute to London would increase by 4,000 seats by December 2018. |
| FirstGroup will also be responsible for introducing the new Hitachi Intercity Express Trains between London, Bristol and South Wales and the Cotswolds from summer 2017. | FirstGroup will also be responsible for introducing the new Hitachi Intercity Express Trains between London, Bristol and South Wales and the Cotswolds from summer 2017. |
| FirstGroup chief executive Tim O'Toole said the rail operator was already working with the DfT and Network Rail to deliver the initial phases of the £7.5bn Great Western mainline modernisation programme. | FirstGroup chief executive Tim O'Toole said the rail operator was already working with the DfT and Network Rail to deliver the initial phases of the £7.5bn Great Western mainline modernisation programme. |
| The franchise award was long expected. FirstGroup is the longest serving of the train operating companies. | The franchise award was long expected. FirstGroup is the longest serving of the train operating companies. |
| In 1996, it joined a bid for one of the first railway franchises of the privatisation programme, which began under John Major's Conservative government. | In 1996, it joined a bid for one of the first railway franchises of the privatisation programme, which began under John Major's Conservative government. |
| It has operated the Great Western network on its own since 1998 when it took 100% ownership of the franchise. | It has operated the Great Western network on its own since 1998 when it took 100% ownership of the franchise. |