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National Express hits the buffers
THE saga over Britain's premier rail route is quickly descending into farce.
Only 18 months after taking over the franchise for the East Coast Main Line, National Express is now giving it up.
Desperate efforts to make the route pay – ranging from huge fare increases to scrapping restaurant cars – have failed to save the franchise which lost 20m in the six months to June.
Ministers have been left with little option than to re-nationalise the route, albeit saddling taxpayers with a huge bill. The company cannot reap the benefits of a contract when times are good and walk away when times are difficult.
But what is clear is that the franchise system is not working. The route is vital to Yorkshire's economy but the continued upheaval over its ownership, following the collapse of the previous operator GNER, should mean Ministers take a long hard look at its future.
Passengers have faced a double squeeze from a rail operator desperate to recoup revenue lost to the recession and also facing pay-outs of 1.4bn in premiums to the Government until 2015 – up to half of which will now not be recouped.
The downturn has reduced passenger numbers but the fact is many are simply being priced off the railways.
Walk-on passengers travelling today on a peak-time train pay a whopping 223 for a standard return from York to London, while those on off-peak services face forking out 84. At those kind of prices, it is little wonder people are seeking alternatives.
At a time when bus passengers are also facing big fare increases, it is clear public transport in this country is not being run in the interests of the public.
In contrast, visitors to the continent will be immediately struck by better services and cheaper fares.
Public transport has been over-priced and badly run for too long. If politicians are to pay anything other than lip service to efforts to get people out of cars, it is time they acted.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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