Arriva-owned Grand Central Rail has been given a 10-year extension.
The open access operator will continue to operate King’s Cross-Sunderland and King’s Cross-Bradford services until 2026.
Richard McClean, managing director of Grand Central, said: “As an open access operator, the 10-year extension to our rail access is excellent news for our passengers and employees and highly significant for the wider rail industry.
“Not only does this mean we can continue to operate services connecting Sunderland and Bradford to London King’s Cross, but we are also in a position to proceed with significant investments to improve our services and encourage future economic growth.
“For many of the towns on our routes we operate the only direct service to London, so this extension is a big coup for those communities and local businesses as well, who can continue to make connections to the capital.”
Just a point……
We all know that Arriva is a division of Deutsche Bahn which, in turn, is 100% owned by the German Government. Consequently, Grand Central is 100% owned by the German taxpayer. Therefore if the government of John Major had privatised British Rail as one single unit or allowed it to develop along the same lines as DB, maybe the UK would now have a railway company with global aspirations.
They do actually. National Express does have franchises in the continent. They have been trying to get a franchise in Spain and I heard they have one in. Germany. Other companies like First and Serco are involved in overseas operations.
@Roshan. Yes, indeed National Express do have franchises in Germany – they are also the largest private bus and coach operator in Spain under the name ALSA. I was merely comparing the global success of DB, the German national (and integrated) rail network with the fragmentation and sale of BR to private and foreign interests. However, if National Express obtain further franchises on the continent and other British transport operators begin to achieve similar success throughout Europe, I would be more than satisfied.