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Overview
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Experience
Introduction
Naomi Horton focuses on the transport sector and is highly regarded for her considerable experience in railway projects and regulation and her reputation for achieving innovative commercial outcomes.
Naomi has advised a wide range of rail industry players on all aspects of the rail industry in the UK including franchising, rolling stock procurement, financing, infrastructure and regulation for over 20 years.
Naomi appears in the top tier rankings in the Chambers and Legal 500 legal directories, and is named as one of the world's most prominent female lawyers in IFLR1000 Women Leaders for 2025 for Transport. She was also listed in the Lawyer Hot 100 in 2020 for her work in the rail industry and won the Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year award in 2024 for Transport Law in the UK.
Naomi's clients include public sector bodies, train operators, train manufacturers, infrastructure managers and financiers and she advises them on all aspects of the rail industry including franchises and concessions; rolling stock procurement, financing and leasing; train service, maintenance, refurbishment and reliability improvement contracts; infrastructure station and depot access, enhancement and investment projects; acquisitions and disposals of rail and rail-related businesses; general commercial contracts in the rail sector and rail regulation of all kinds. Naomi advises clients on bus franchising and has also advised on a variety of PFI/PPP projects including hospitals, trains and light rail systems.
- Crossrail Limited | On the £1 billion+ procurement of rolling stock and depot facilities for the Crossrail Project, the biggest infrastructure project in Europe and one of the largest rolling stock procurements, now known as the Elizabeth Line.
- The funders to Agility Trains, the Hitachi/John Laing consortium | On financing of the £4.5 billion InterCity Express Program train provision PPP, with particular reference to depot and maintenance aspects.
- Hitachi Rail | On a number of train supply related contracts including the extension of train service arrangements for the Hitachi Scotrail Fleet and the supply of new electric and bimode trains for First Group's open access operations, financed by Angel Trains.
- Keolis and Amey | On their successful bid to operate Dublin's iconic LUAS light rail concession with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the National Transport Authority (NTA) for a core term of seven years, with the option to extend up to a further six years.
- Amey Infrastructure Wales | On the ongoing management of the Core Valley Lines (CVL) as Infrastructure Manager including a variety of commercial, operational and regulatory matters, interaction with neighboring rail infrastructure, replicating the entire suite of Network Rail based infrastructure manager regulated documents, and preparation for CVL electrification and the introduction of new rolling stock.
- Equitix, SMBC Leasing and Angel Trains | On the management of their interests as the Owner, financier and lessor of the four brand new fleets of trains for the Valley and Cambrian Lines in Wales, to be operated by Transport for Wales, including train manufacture, delivery, acceptance and entry into service.
- Keolis Amey | On their successful bid for and mobilization of the Wales and Borders and Core Valley Lines passenger rail franchise; the procurement of four new fleets of trains from CAF and Stadler; and the termination and handover of the Wales and Borders rail services to Transport for Wales as operator of last resort.
- Freightliner Group and Brookfield Infrastructure | On rail aspects of the sale of Freightliner Intermodal Logistics, a leading rail freight operator in the United Kingdom to the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air, and logistics solutions.
- Virgin West Coast | On the procurement of the Pendolino and Voyager fleets , the first post privatization train procurements involving innovative train service procurement concepts; on their bid for the current West Coast franchise and the handover of the franchise to Avanti.
- Transport Operator | On successful bids to operate the first competed bus franchises in the UK (outside London) including in Manchester, Liverpool and West Yorkshire.
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