Reconsider railway plans, says council

‘PEOPLE before profit’ is the message from Durham County Council (DCC) to the Government over the future of the East Coast Mainline.

The rail franchise was taken into public ownership last month after joint operators Virgin and Stagecoach said they would be unable to complete their contract.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has said it will manage the route until a new firm is appointed to take charge in 2020.

But yesterday, DCC’s cabinet formally urged the Government to reconsider its current plans.

Coun Carl Marshall, cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “We warned that by having no accountability and having a private operator only interested in profits we would have problems. We saw a previously good service put back to the Government, not because it wasn’t making a profit, but because it wasn’t making enough profit.

“I would like to add to the recommendation for the Government to run the East Coast Mainline indefinitely, ensure there’s accountability for the service and put people before profit.”

The council has previously called for the Government to take permanent control of the East Coast Mainline, in 2014, when it was transferred from public ownership to the VirginStagecoach partnership.

New Azuma trains built by Hitachi, in Newton Aycliffe, are due to enter service on the route in December.