Arriva UK Trains Limited is the company that oversees Arriva's train operating companies in the United Kingdom. It gained its first franchises in February 2000. These were later lost, though several others were gained. In January 2010, with the take-over of Arriva by Deutsche Bahn, Arriva UK Trains also took over the running of those formerly overseen by DB Regio UK Limited. Class 168 Class 220
Divisions
Arriva currently runs the following railway companies with operational dates listed: ;Franchises
In January 2008 it was announced that subject to regulatory approval, Deutsche Bahn would purchase Laing Rail which had itself just started operating the London Overground concession in partnership with MTR Corporation. As a result of the Deutsche Bahn purchase, Laing Rail Limited was renamed DB Regio UK Limited in April 2008. DB Regio UK continued to expand when in February 2009 it was shortlisted and on 3 December 2009 awarded a contract to operate the Tyne & Wear Metro, taking over operations on 1 April 2010. Following the purchase of Arriva by Deutsche Bahn in August 2010, Arriva UK Trains expanded to take over Deutsche Bahn's existing DB Regio UK division which consisted of Chiltern Railways, DB Regio Tyne & Wear, a 50% shareholding in the now closed Wrexham & Shropshire open access operation and a 50% shareholding in London Overground Rail Operations. The Tyne & Wear Metro contract with DB Regio did not renew, and Nexus took over the operation of the Tyne & Wear Metro in April 2017.
Future
Post-merger growth strategy
Arriva UK Trains wishes to expand the number of UK Rail businesses it operates by developing open access operations and successfully bidding for further Department for Transport Rail Franchises. As part of this strategy in November 2011 Arriva bought open-access operator Grand Central for an undisclosed price. Disappointingly in the last full financial year before the purchase, Grand Central's seven return trains a day lost £8.5m leaving an overall deficit of £35m. Alliance Rail Holdings continues to develop new open access proposals following the rejection of their initial plans by the Office of Rail Regulation in 2011. During 2012 Arriva's applications to bid for the InterCity West Coast, Greater Anglia, Essex Thameside and Thameslink franchises were all rejected by the Department for Transport. Following this run of failure Arriva was publicly critical of the government's prequalification process and called for it to be abolished. However Arriva was shortlisted to bid for the aborted Greater Western franchise in March 2012 and the Caledonian Sleeper and Crossrail franchises in 2014. In June 2014 Alliance successfully concluded negotiations with Network Rail for access paths to run between Euston and Blackpool/Huddersfield and Leeds from 2017 using Pendolino trains. However, in January 2015 and despite Network Rail support, the Office of Rail Regulation refused all proposed GNWR services and the application for reasons that included protection of the revenues of Virgin Trains and thence payments to the Department for Transport. Also because of capacity issues. This followed a proposed in December 2013 to run services between King's Cross and Skipton via Garforth and Keighley, but was rejected in 2014, by the Office Rail of Regulation. Alliance submitted an amended application which was accepted in August 2015, and plan from 2018 to commence operating services from London Euston to Poulton-le-Fylde after the Office of Rail and Road granted access rights for 10 years.
