Government told to improve nationalised east coast line

Published on Friday 3 July 2009 10:00

PRESSURE is growing on the government to improve services on the East Coast Main Line following National Express' decision to walk away from the £1.4 billion franchise.

Rail minister Lord Adonis announced earlier this week that the key Edinburgh-London route would be taken back into public ownership.

Now Edinburgh politicians have called for assurances that the standard of service offered to passengers will not suffer further.

Edinburgh East MP Gavin Strang said the route was a "great asset" which should be protected.

Addressing transport minister Sadiq Khan during a House of Commons debate, Mr Strang said: "We should welcome the government's intervention, but may I put it to him that the key thing is to sustain this service? Will he do all he can to maintain it and build on it for the future?"

Edinburgh Central MSP Sarah Boyack said the standard of the service had been slipping in recent months.

She said: "I hope this move will safeguard jobs and ensure that the quality of service provided to commuters is delivered to a higher standard."