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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Four in East Coast rail shortlist | Four in East Coast rail shortlist |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The shortlist for the new operator of the UK's East Coast Mainline train service has been announced by the Department for Transport. | The shortlist for the new operator of the UK's East Coast Mainline train service has been announced by the Department for Transport. |
| Bids by Arriva Trains, First Rail, National Express Group have progressed to the next stage. | Bids by Arriva Trains, First Rail, National Express Group have progressed to the next stage. |
| A proposal by Intercity-Railways, a joint venture between Stagecoach and Virgin, has also made the shortlist. | A proposal by Intercity-Railways, a joint venture between Stagecoach and Virgin, has also made the shortlist. |
| GNER, currently operating the line under a short term management deal, would not say if it had made a bid. | GNER, currently operating the line under a short term management deal, would not say if it had made a bid. |
| But it insisted it remained in "active discussions" with the shortlisted groups, and hoped to continue to be involved in operating the line through a partnership. | But it insisted it remained in "active discussions" with the shortlisted groups, and hoped to continue to be involved in operating the line through a partnership. |
| Surrendered | Surrendered |
| GNER won a 10-year franchise in March 2005, but it has faced financial woes since the London bombings, as passenger numbers dipped, power prices rose and Network Rail's compensation payments declined. | GNER won a 10-year franchise in March 2005, but it has faced financial woes since the London bombings, as passenger numbers dipped, power prices rose and Network Rail's compensation payments declined. |
| This coincided with financial problems at its parent company Sea Containers. | |
| It surrendered the franchise, as it would not have been able to meet its terms which involved paying hundreds of millions of pounds to the government. | It surrendered the franchise, as it would not have been able to meet its terms which involved paying hundreds of millions of pounds to the government. |
| It is now operating the franchise on an agreed 18-month management contract. | It is now operating the franchise on an agreed 18-month management contract. |
| The new East Coast franchise will run for a maximum of seven years and five months, with the final 17 months depending on the operator hitting performance targets. | The new East Coast franchise will run for a maximum of seven years and five months, with the final 17 months depending on the operator hitting performance targets. |
| The winning company must keep existing services as well as a regular half-hourly service between London and Leeds. | The winning company must keep existing services as well as a regular half-hourly service between London and Leeds. |
| The operator is also expected to put in a "smart ticketing" system across the franchise area. | The operator is also expected to put in a "smart ticketing" system across the franchise area. |
| The East Coast Mainline runs from London to Scotland with stops including Doncaster, Newcastle and Edinburgh. |