International legal practice Osborne Clarke, which has a large office in Bristol, has advised XC Trains on its £1.5bn extended franchise agreement with the Department for Transport.
XC Trains, a subsidiary of Arriva, will manage the new three-year franchise agreement under the CrossCountry brand. 
The franchise, which stretches from Aberdeen to Penzance, will be the longest passenger route in the UK, covering a 2,000km-plus network and serving more than 100 stations, including Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said Arriva Cross Country will pay the government a premium of £163m to operate the new franchise.
Arriva, owned by Deutsche Bahn of Germany, has been set targets for improved punctuality and reliability.
The DfT said the Edinburgh to Plymouth service through Bristol will get an extra 39,000 seats a year at peak times by December 2017.
The Osborne Clarke team was led by Bristol-based partner Lara Burch, pictured, and supported by partner Clive Smith, associate director Jeremy Godley, senior associate Declan Goodwin and associate Kulraj Badhesha.
