Veolia Transport (formerly Connex and CGEA Transport) was the international transport services division of the French-based multinational company Veolia until the 2011 merger that gave rise to Veolia Transdev, later renamed Transdev. Veolia Transport traded under the brand names of Veolia Transportation in North America and Israel, Veolia Transport, Veolia Verkehr in Germany and with the former name Connex preserved in Lebanon, Melbourne (until it ceased operations in 2009) and Jersey (until it ceased operations on 31 December 2012).
Until 2011, Veolia had diverse road and rail operations across the globe, employing 72,000 workers worldwide and serving completely or partly about 40 metropolitan areas with more than 1,000,000 inhabitants.
History CGEA Transport The company was established on 1 January 1997 as CGEA Transport, created from the public transport business of Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Automobiles (CGEA), which was a subsidiary of Compagnie Générale des Eaux (CGE).
CGEA was previously acquired by CGE in 1980, and its waste management and environmental services division was already rebranded Onyx Environnement in 1989, leaving CGEA with only the transport business. Compagnie générale française des transports et entreprises (CGFTE) was also acquired by CGE in the 1980s, was also absorbed into CGEA in 1988.
Vivendi, Connex and Veolia CGE, the ultimate parent company, was later renamed to Vivendi in 1998, and created Vivendi Environnement in 1999 to consolidate its environmental divisions including the transport division. Vivendi Environnement was renamed Veolia Environnement in 2003.
As a result, the name of CGEA Transport was rebranded Connex in 1999, adopting the brand that its South Central and South Eastern rail franchises in South East England had traded under since 1996."Connex Expands Throughout the World" Today's Railways Europe issue 54 June 2000 page 15 In 2005, as a result of global rebranding of all Veolia Environnement subsidiaries, Connex was renamed Veolia Transport."Connex is dead, long live Veolia" Today's Railways Europe issue 123 March 2006 page 11 Some operations such as Connex Melbourne retained the Connex name and logo.
In 2007, the group posted revenues of €5.6 billion,"Veolia Transport | Public transportation and freight services" . and sold Veolia Cargo, the rail freight branch of Veolia Transport in 2009 to SNCF and Eurotunnel.SNCF and Eurotunnel acquire Veolia Cargo via www.geodis.com
A merger between Veolia Transport and the old Transdev was announced on 23 July 2009.Merger of Veolia Transport and Transdev Transdev was then a subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts. The merger was completed in March 2011. Veolia Transdev became the world's private-sector leader in sustainable mobility with more than 110,000 employees in 28 countries. Veolia Transdev was renamed and simplified to Transdev in 2013.
In July 2011, amid disappointing financial results, Veolia Environnement announced the launch of new restructuring plans and redeployment of assets and businesses. In December 2011, Veolia announced a €5bn divestment program in 2012 and 2013. As part of this programme, Veolia would divest its participation in Transdev and exit the transport business altogether. In January 2019, Veolia sold the last of its Transdev shares to the Rethmann Group, the owner of Rhenus.Veolia out of transport as Rethmann acquires Transdev stake Railway Gazette International 11 January 2019
Europe
France
The company was the third largest private sector operator of public transport and operated: 7 tramway networks across the country: 5 in service (Bordeaux, Nice, Rouen, Nancy); 1 in construction in suburban Lyon, (Lesly) and two in project (Le Havre and Toulon) 77 bus networks (January 1, 2009), especially in Bordeaux, Nice, Rouen, Saint-Étienne, Toulon, Le Havre and Nancy More than 25 suburban networks in suburban Paris : (Seine-St-Denis "TRA", Melun "Tram", Sénart "Sénart Bus", etc.) 4 tourist railways (Petit train de la Rhune, Vapeur du Trieux, Chemin de Fer de La Mure and Chemins de Fer de Provence) Ferry services in Mediterranéa: Veolia recently bought 28% of the Société Nationale Maritime Corse Méditerranée, a previously state-owned ferry company.
Belgium Autocars De Polder has been part of the Veolia Group since 1995. Veolia operated some de Lijn routes under contract.
Veolia Transport Belgium (VTB) was passed on to Veolia Transdev until it was sold to a consortium consisting of Cube Infrastructure and Gimv in March 2014.
Denmark Veolia ran half of the transport operations of the privatised especially around Copenhagen. Copenhagen: Suburban buses.
These operations were sold to Arriva in October 2007.
Finland
Helsinki: Veolia owns Helsinki Metropolitan Area's bus company Veolia Finland, which was previously Linjebuss and operated essentially in Vantaa, a northern suburb of Helsinki. Tampere: Veolia owns the regional bus company previously known as Alhonen & Lastunen Seinäjoki: Veolia owns yet another local bus company, now known as Veolia Transport West Oy, operating both local and long-distance routes.
Veolia Transport Finland Oy has since been passed on to Transdev and has been known as Transdev Finland Oy since 5 February 2015.
Germany Veolia Verkehr, former Connex Verkehr, offers train services, several of a regional character such as the Bayerische Oberlandbahn from Munich, and two long-distance services. Veolia owns a number of bus companies, mostly in suburban areas. It also operated tram systems: Aachen: Suburban buses, Berlin: Suburban tram line linking to the S Bahn, Frankfurt: Urban linepacks A&E, Suburban services, Bad Homburg: Urban & Suburban buses, Hagen: Urban network, Pforzheim: Urban network won by Veolia in August 2006. Network included in "Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund GmbH" (KVV) and linked to it by Tram-Train line, Schwäbisch Hall: Urban network, Stuttgart: Suburban buses, ...and also into rural areas.
Veolia Verkehr has since been passed on to Transdev and is now known as Transdev GmbH since March 2015.
Ireland Dublin: Veolia operated the Luas tramway which started operations in June 2004. Operation of the Luas tramway has since been passed on to Veolia Transdev and renamed Transdev Ireland. Galway: Veolia owned the Nestor Airlink bus company which operated between Galway and Dublin Airport. However Jim Burke & Sons own and run it as of March 2009.
Jersey
Connex Transport Jersey operated bus services in Jersey between 29 September 2002 and 31 December 2012 under the Mybus brand.Final tender from CT Plus to run Jersey's buses approved BBC News 10 July 2012
Netherlands
Veolia Transport Nederland consisted of: Veolia Transport Veluwe, operating in De Veluwe region in Gelderland, Veolia Transport Haaglanden, operating in South Holland, Veolia Transport Brabant, operating in middle and western North Brabant with 4 urban networks in Breda, Tilburg, Bergen op Zoom and Roosendaal, Veolia Transport Limburg, operating in the whole province of Limburg, including city buses in Maastricht, Parkstad (Heerlen-Kerkrade-Landgraaf-Brunssum), Venlo, and Roermond and the Roermond–Nijmegen and Maastricht–Kerkrade train routes. Veolia Transport Fast Ferries Zeeland (Western Scheldt ferry). Veolia Transport Zeeuwsch-Vlaanderen, in the southern part of Zeeland province. formerly Veolia Cargo] Nederland freight trains, sold in 2009 to SNCF Geodis.SNCF and Eurotunnel acquire Veolia Cargo World Cargo News 3 September 2009Eurotunnel and SNCF acquire Veolia Cargo International Railway Journal 3 September 2009
Veolia Transport Nederland became part of Transdev in March 2011 and was brought under common ownership with Connexxion to form Transdev Nederland.Annual Report for year ended 31 December 2011 Connexxion Both continued to operate independently until June 2015 when both were brought under common management.Transdev merges Connexxion and Veolia Transport Nederland under one brand Transdev 22 May 2015 (Dutch) When the Limburg concession expired on 11 December 2016, the remaining Haaglanden operations were rebranded as Connexxion.Arriva wins re-awarded Limburg operating contract Railway Gazette International 3 June 2015Veolia name disappears from the OV OV Magazine 21 November 2016 (Dutch)
Norway Veolia Transport Norge operated: Trondheim Tramway, Rogaland buses, Nordland buses and ferries. Finnmark buses and ferries.
On 6 May 2011, Veolia Transport Norge was sold in a management buyout and renamed Boreal Transport Norge AS. The new owners were Transport Management AS (1.4%) (the management) and Cube Norge AS (98.6%), a subsidiary of Cube Communications Infrastructure S.C.A. (Cube Infrastructure Fund) of Luxembourg.
Spain Barcelona: Two unlinked tram networks Trambaix and Trambesòs and two networks in the suburbs: Terrassa and Mataró, Bilbao: Bilbobus urban network, contract won in May 2008, sold in 2012 Jerez: Urban network, Parla: Tramway in suburban Madrid.
Sweden Veolia Transport Sverige was the umbrella company of Veolia Transport companies in Sweden: Gothenburg: Veolia owns the ferry company Styrsöbolaget that operated the cross-river ferries (Älvsnabben) as well as the ferries to the south archipelago. Veolia also operate some local city bus networks or interurban lines on contract to the local authorities (Västtrafik). Norrköping: Veolia operated the Norrköping tramway on behalf of Östgötatrafiken. Stockholm: Until April 2012, Veolia Transport (now Transdev) was running three tram networks (Lidingöbanan, Nockebybanan and Tvärbanan) and a local railway (Saltsjöbanan) in the city on behalf of SL. Metro contracted by the Stockholm County Council until 2009, after which the contract was taken over by MTR. Malmö: Veolia runs long-distance trains from Malmö to Stockholm, in the winter season going further on to Åre, and the long-distance train from Malmö to Berlin with train ferry via Trelleborg to Sassnitz in the summer season.
Veolia Transport Sverige AB has since been passed on to Transdev and is now known as Transdev Sverige AB since February 2015.
United Kingdom
Connex South Eastern - A train operator in south-east England that ran from 14 October 1996 to 9 November 2003. The contract was due to run until 2011; but their contract was revoked owing to poor financial management after repeated warnings from Government.SRA Confirms Transfer from Connex to South Eastern Trains Strategic Rail Authority 8 November 2003Rail authority takes on franchise BBC News 8 November 2003 Connex South Central - A train operator in the south of England that ran from 26 May 1996 until 25 August 2001. Initially their contract was due to run until 2003. In October 2000 the new contract was awarded to Govia. Soon after they and Connex worked out a takeover of the remainder of Connex's contract; starting in August 2001.Connex loses rail franchise, BBC News 24 October 2000.Acquisition of Connex South Central Limited by Govia Limited Go-Ahead Group 30 May 2001Completion of Acquisition of South Central Franchise Go-Ahead Group 28 August 2001 Connex Bus UK - a bus operator formed in mid 1999 by Connex, operating bus services in greater London. Sold to National Express in 2004 after losing the rail franchises above.National Express buys 200 London buses The Daily Telegraph 27 February 2004 Dunn-Line – A National Express contractor. Veolia sold its Nottingham bus and private hire coach operations to Premiere Travel from 31 January 2011; on 6 January 2011, its National Express coach work from the city passed to Yourbus. Veolia Transport Cymru, which purchased the following (ceased by December 2012): Pullman Coaches Bebb Travel – A National Express contractor Shamrock Coaches Hawkes Longs Astons Coaches (Kempsey, Worcester) Paul James Coaches (Taken over by Centrebus in October 2011)