The German owners of North East-based transport firm Arriva are returning to a potential sale of the company, according to reports.
State-owned railway operator Deutsche Bahn is said to be working with advisers on whether there is interest in a deal for Arriva, that could be worth as much as €2bn. Deutsche Bahn acquired Arriva in 2010 and mulled both a sale and a Stock Market flotation of the firm three years before abandoning the processes due to volatility in the UK economy.
Rumours of the deal come at a time of significant interest in the UK transport sector, despite the challenges of building back passenger numbers after the pandemic. That interest saw Newcastle transport group Go-Ahead bought in a £669m deal by a consortium of overseas firms last year, while a German investment group won the battle to take over bus firm Stagecoach.
