IRELAND: The formal award of a €650m contract to supply trains for the cross-border Enterprise service linking Dublin with Belfast has been delayed following a legal challenge from the losing bidder.
Eight 200 m long trains are being procured to replace the current Enterprise fleet by 2029, as the existing rolling stock has become life-expired. While often described as tri-mode trainsets, the trains will essentially operate as electro-diesel multiple-units, but they are expected to feature small traction batteries to reduce emissions at stations and depots.
With the tendering process leaving bids from CAF and Stadler at the final stage, an evaluation process by Iarnród Éireann and Translink NI Railways, who jointly operate the Enterprise service, resulted in a decision to name Stadler as the preferred supplier. Letters were sent to both companies on September 19.
However, on the final day of the formal contract standstill period, CAF announced that it would be challenging the outcome in court and would be seeking a judicial review of the decision-making process.
Signing of the contract had been envisaged by the end of the year, with an Iarnród Éireann spokesman saying in a statement that ‘the two companies have issued notifications regarding the outcome of the Enterprise Train Fleet replacement process’. Noting that a challenge from a bidder had been received, he said this was ‘being addressed through the legal process’, and that the selection of Stadler had been made ‘following a robust and competitive procurement process’.
It is understood that a preliminary hearing in Ireland’s Commercial Court on November 5 will be followed by a formal hearing in mid-November.
