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Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Beith MPLiberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Berwick Upon TweedWorking for you and the Berwick upon Tweed Constituency all year roundin Northumberland and in Westminster |
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Lib Dem MPs quiz Minister over East Coast Main Line
July 21, 2009 12:00 PM
Alan Beith is keeping up pressure on the Government to sort out problems with the East Coast Main Line franchise for the long term future of the service.
Liberal Democrat MPs Sir Alan Beith and Michael Moore have met with the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, in a bid to resolve the crisis on the East Coast Mainline. The MPs have welcomed a personal assurance from the Transport Secretary, Lord Adonis, that rail services to and from Berwick-upon-Tweed on the East Coast Main Line will be sustained at current levels whilst the line is under state control, following the National Express decision to default on their franchise.
Alan Beith expressed concern that punctuality and reliability on the service could be affected as preparations for the transfer of responsibility from National Express to the Government proceed. He commented that a quick return to private ownership would "cause a loss of confidence among customers."
Alan Beith has called for the East Coast to remain publicly owned until a long-term deal can be made, possibly extending franchise periods to allow for more stable revenue. And with reports suggesting that in could be 2011 before the Government awards the franchise to a new operator, Mr Moore also urged Lord Adonis to take the opportunity of the forthcoming period of nationalisation to address other issues of concern, including high ticket prices and inflexible booking procedures.
Lord Adonis made a commitment to discuss these issues in detail when Parliament returns after the summer recess.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Moore said:
'Although the assurances we have received from the Secretary of State are welcome, we will continue to monitor this situation closely to ensure that rail users from our region are not penalised by the failure of National Express to honour their contract.
'While securing services at current levels must be the priority, it is also essential that Ministers take the golden opportunity offered by the nationalisation of the east coast line to ensure that rail travel is accessible to all.
'It is scandalous that in many cases it is cheaper to fly from Edinburgh to London than to take the train from Berwick-upon-Tweed. Reducing prices and increasing flexibility is essential if we are to encourage more people to use our railways. The Government has an unexpected, but welcome opportunity to tackle these twin scandals and must grab it wholeheartedly'.
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