In the News - Train Operators

Government takes East Coast Mainline from National Express

The government has refused to renegotiate the East Coast Mainline franchise with the train operator, National Express and today announced that it will be taking the rail route into public ownership. National Express has been struggling with mounting debt on the East Coast route for some time because of falling passenger numbers. All services will continue as normal and tickets already purchased will be honoured. The government intends to put the route back up for franchise late next year.

The government is now under pressure to take National Express' other routes, C2C and East Anglia because of the view that it is unfair that the public has to fund the debt-ridden East Coast line while National Express benefit from two other profit-making lines.

In May, passenger groups strongly criticised National Express for charging for reserve seats, seeing it as increasing ticket prices by the back door ('In the News' on 13 May 09).

(Sources: News.bbc.co.uk)

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Posted by Plebble Admin at 10:11 on 01-Jul-2009