Eversheds International

Transport

Acting for Flybe Group Limited on its acquisition of the 'BA Connect' regional airline business of British Airways to create Europe's largest regional airline with more than £500m in revenues and carrying nearly 10m passengers annually.
Advising the seven local authority owners of the Newcastle International Airport company on its PPP project for the disposal of a 49 per cent share with a capital value of £300m. We subsequently advised the airport on its refinancing following the PPP through an £85m Bond Issue.

We have advised an international motor manufacturer on its acquisition of a 50 per cent shareholding interest in a European powertrain manufacturer and the associated and continuing supply and intellectual property arrangements.
We advise a number of automotive clients on the application of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption and the strategic implications of the MVBE for their agency, distribution and dealer networks.

Acting for Hutchison Ports in the successful promotion of a Harbour Revision Order to authorise a multi-million pound deepwater container expansion at the Port of Felixstowe; by far the UK's largest container port. The expansion will create 1,350m of quay dredged to 16m which will accommodate the largest container ships and which will provide an extra 1.5m teu capacity (twenty foot equivalent units) bringing total capacity to 5.2 teu.
Acting for PD Teesport in obtaining the Harbour Revision and Transport and Works Orders to authorise the Northern Gateway Container Terminal on the Tees, with 1.5m teu annual capacity, 1,000m of new riverside quay and berth pocket depths of 16m. When complete the terminal will have three berths capable of handling modern vessels carrying up to 10,000 containers. The applications for this project priced at about £300m were approved within 22 months of being submitted, which has been described as a record for such a large scale port infrastructure project.

Advising the Department for Transport on a £53m order for 11 new four car 'Electrostar' commuter trains to be used on cross London 'Thameslink' services. The Eversheds team advised on the agreement with train manufacturer Bombardier and changes to the franchise agreement with Southern. The new trains are needed to facilitate the first stage of the £5.5 billion Thameslink infrastructure upgrade project which will allow longer and more frequent trains to serve a wider variety of destinations.
Advising Transport for London on a £98m offer for the proposed acquisition of the Croydon Tramlink.

Advising Balfour Beatty on the £150m project to upgrade Cumbria's ageing road network. The project has a number of striking features. For example, in many projects, archaeological discovery risk is theoretical but here it is very real - part of the project actually goes through a gap in Hadrian's Wall.
Advising (as part of a consortium) the Romanian National Company for Highways and National Roads (CNADNR) to provide international project finance advice on the new highway between Ploiesti and Brasov. One of the purposes of the road is to provide access to the new Brasov International Airport. We are acting for Intelcan, the private sector sponsor on the project.