FOI request detail

New tube trains

Request ID: FOI-0726-1819
Date published: 13 August 2018

You asked

A few weeks ago Siemens undertook a press launch for a potential new train manufacturing facility to be built at a site near Goole. The associated press release was well reported by the specialist rail industry media as well as a video being uploaded onto Youtube. In the articles it was clearly stated that the construction of the facility was directly dependent upon Siemens being awarded major contracts in the UK for HS2 or Deep Tube. Please provide information relating to the restriction placed upon tenderers during the bidding phase for Deep Tube on making public announcements at any time concerning their involvement or strategy for the project. Please provide information concerning how the aforementioned press release was agreed by TfL/LUL before it was issued. This information should include all dates when such information was transmitted for review and agreed. Please provide information concerning the date when the final decision was made to award the contract to Siemens ------------------------------------------------- I read with great interest the announcement that a contract is going to be awarded to Siemens for the provision of a new tube train fleet for London. The article suggested that the vehicles would be manufactured by Siemens at a yet to be constructed facility near Goole. Please provide information concerning how the fact that the new trains are proposed to be manufactured in a new facility that; 1. Has not been constructed 2. Does not benefit from planning permission being granted 3. Does not have an experienced or indeed any workforce 4. No UK based supply chain were risk assessed against established manufacturing facilities already in existence in the UK with proven workforces.

We answered

Thank you for your emails received by us on 16 June 2018 asking for information about Siemens and a contract for the Deep Tube.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked for the following:

A few weeks ago Siemens undertook a press launch for a potential new train manufacturing facility to be built at a site near Goole. The associated press release was well reported by the specialist rail industry media as well as a video being uploaded onto Youtube.

In the articles it was clearly stated that the construction of the facility was directly dependent upon Siemens being awarded major contracts in the UK for HS2 or Deep Tube.
Please provide information relating to the restriction placed upon tenderers during the bidding phase for Deep Tube on making public announcements at any time concerning their involvement or strategy for the project.
Each tenderer agreed not to make any form of public statement or communicate with the media in relation to the procurement of the Deep Tube programme, the services being procured, or the New Tube for London programme without the prior written consent of London Underground Ltd.

Please provide information concerning how the aforementioned press release was agreed by TfL/LUL before it was issued. This information should include all dates when such information was transmitted for review and agreed.
We do not hold this information.
Please provide information concerning the date when the final decision was made to award the contract to Siemens.
The final decision to award the Deep Tube contract to Siemens was taken on 4 June 2018, when we received approval from the Chair of the Board’s Programmes and Investment Committee to proceed with intention to award.

Please provide information concerning how the fact that the new trains are proposed to be manufactured in a new facility that;

1. Has not been constructed
2. Does not benefit from planning permission being granted
3. Does not have an experienced or indeed any workforce
4. No UK based supply chain

were risk assessed against established manufacturing facilities already in existence in the UK with proven workforces.

We do not hold the information you have requested.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London

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