The Department for Transport has launched a consultation over plans to return the East Coast Main Line to the private sector.
Rail Minister Theresa Villiers has launched the InterCity East Coast franchise consultation, inviting passengers to send in their views on what they want from the next franchise, which will take over from the publicly-funded Directly Operated Railways (DOR) from 2013.
DOR was set up by the Government to oversee management of the route after National Express pulled out in 2009.
Theresa Villiers said: “There are exciting changes on the horizon for the East Coast Main Line. It is set to receive a brand new fleet of InterCity Express trains. The next franchise will be up to 12 years in length giving the operator greater opportunities to invest in improvements that will benefit passengers.
“The consultation outlines what we expect the next operator to deliver, including better service quality, improvements to stations, the roll out of smart-ticketing technology and good levels of punctuality. Bidders will need to share with us their plans to improve the passenger experience.”
She added: “The East Coast Main Line is a key part of our nation’s transport infrastructure providing heavily used and economically significant services between north and south.
“Before we let this franchise, we want to hear from the people who use East Coast and listen to their ideas on better services. This consultation will help us make decisions on how we get the most from the improvements planned for the line over the coming years.”
The winning bidder is expected to oversee the introduction of new InterCity Express trains on the route.
1) “It is set to receive a brand new fleet of InterCity Express trains”
When? Will any franchise holder want a committee created camel of a train?
2) “Bidders will need to share with us their plans to improve the passenger experience.”
Less jargon please. I have a journey that hopefully does not turn into an experience.
3) “a consultation over plans to return the East Coast Main Line to the private sector.”
Third time lucky?