Passenger ‘risk’ from new east coast plan

An untested way of running the Edinburgh-london east coast main line risks further disruption for passengers following the collapse of a third train operator on the route, MPS warned today.

It came as part of a damning report by the Commons’ transport committee into the collapse of Stagecoach-led Virgin Trains East Coast franchise in June, which it said had run out of money.

The planned East Coast Partnership posed “unnecessary risk” because of uncertainty over whether it would work.

UK ministers want the new body to run trains and tracks “under one roof” to ensure closer working between operators and Network Rail.

However, former Labour transport secretary Lord Adonis described it as “an entirely back-of-the-envelope plan… nobody can define it or has the faintest idea of its elements.”

Passengers have seen five different operators run the trains since December 2007. They are back in state hands – currently under LNER – for the second time.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of watchdog Transport Focus, said: “However the East Coast is run, passengers will be looking for the quality of current services to be maintained and built on.”