Deutsche Bahn completes takeover of Arriva plc

Following the Court hearings on 24 and 26 August 2010 and the registration of the Court orders, the Scheme of Arrangement pursuant to which DB UK Holding Ltd acquired all of the shares of Arriva plc has become effective. Arriva plc is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of DB UK Holding Limited. Arriva has made applications for the cancellation of the listing of Arriva shares, which will be effective from 8:00am on 31 August 2010.

„Today is a milestone for the passenger transport division of Deutsche Bahn as from today we offer mobility with a European dimension“, said DB´s CEO Dr. Rüdiger Grube. „Arriva will contribute c.10 per cent of the turnover of the DB Group. Therefore DB becomes not only a leading provider of passenger transport in Europe but it also creates substantial growth prospects from which all stakeholders will benefit: customers, tenderers, employees and the owner of DB.“

DB will move up from its marginal position with regard to turnover abroad in the passenger transport business to a top position. In addition to that DB will be in a leading position in the European passenger transport market. More than 42,000 (incl. Arriva Germany) employees of Arriva generated a turnover of c. 3.8 EUR bn in 2009. This makes Arriva one of the leading providers of regional passenger transport in Europe. In addition to services in the UK, Arriva also provides its bus and rail services in eleven other European countries.

„We welcome our committed and successful new colleagues“, said Ulrich Homburg, DB board member responsible for passenger transport. „Not only is the logistics business organised globally, but the passenger transport businesses also extend beyond the borders of Germany. The comprehensive experience of Arriva in European passenger transport is an advantage for us.“ DB will conduct its regional passenger transport activities outside Germany under the Arriva brand.

„Despite our enthusiasm about the new growth prospects in Europe, our main focus remains the core business in our German home market. We want to continue to be a leading provider of mobility services. Therefore, we will not cut back on any of our four initiatives: Customer & Quality, Technology, Investments and Market“, Dr. Grube continues. In the next five years, DB will invest more than 41 EUR bn in infrastructure, stations and rolling stock in Germany.

Arriva’s German businesses will be divested as one package as required by the European Commission within the next months. DB assumes that the transaction will attract a high number of strategic and financial investors, who will play a significant role in the divestment process which is monitored by the European Commission. Arriva’s business in Germany is operated entire separately from DB and DB cannot obtain any confidential information about Arriva’s German business. Arriva generated c. 450 EURm turnover in 2009 with more than 3,100 employees.