Rail firm 
‘pays huge 
sums to 
taxpayers’

The East Coast main line has been under the control of the Department for Transport since the previous private-sector operator National Express pulled out in 2009.

In 2007, another private company, GNER, also ceased its East Coast operation after its parent company, Sea Containers, ran into financial difficulties.

But the Government has signalled its intention to return the line to the private sector and has shortlisted three bidders with a new franchise due to start next year.

The RMT union said new figures out this week will show that Directly Operated Railways (DOR), the company running East Coast, paid £235m to the Government in 2013/14 – an increase of 12 per cent on 2012/13.

The RMT added that DOR will have “paid back £1bn to the British people since it took over in 2009”.

The union added that one of the bidders for the East Coast franchise was Keolis, a company tied in with the French state railways which “proves once again that the Government are happy to have state control of our main inter-city routes as long as it’s not the British state”.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “A strong private-sector partner will not only provide certainty of ownership for the East Coast franchise but will be best placed to build on the significant investment planned for the route, delivering benefits to passengers and taxpayers for years to come.”