Adonis says East Coast Line will stay in public hands

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Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has revealed that after National Express was sacked from the East Coast Main Line, the King's Cross-based train franchise will stay in public hands for the foreseeable future.

Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Labour party conference, Adonis said: "I have set up a shadow company at the moment. That will probably become a full state company that will probably take over East Coast in November or December."

He indicated — though the decision may be out of his hands after the upcoming General Election — that the East Coast Main Line will stay in public hands for at least two years.

"The test for me — it is the crucial test — is whether by going for a new franchise is whether we can offer a better quality of service than they get at the moment," Adonis told the meeting.

The East Coast Main Line up to Yorkshire, the North East and Edinburgh has long been regarded as the most lucrative service on the network.

But two firms have foundered operating it in the past three years. GNER was sacked after its parent Sea Containers got into financial trouble. Then this summer it was announced National Express would be removed after it failed to keep up payments of excess profits pledged to the Treasury.