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National Express East Anglia franchise to end three years early (From Echo)
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National Express East Anglia franchise to end three years early
3:43pm Thursday 26th November 2009
A RAIL franchise run by National Express will end three years early, the Government ruled today.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said that National Express East Anglia franchise, connecting Essex with London, will finish in March 2011 rather than be extended, as it could have been, until 2014.
Earlier this month National Express's East Coast franchise was taken into public ownership after the company said it would no longer fund it.
NatEx also runs the London to Tilbury and Southend line, c2c.
Today, Lord Adonis said that "the public interest would not be served by terminating the (east Anglia and c2c) franchises immediately".
Instead, NatEx will carry on operating East Anglia until March 31 2011, with a new operator taking over in April 2011.
Earlier this week, the Department for Transport announced a franchise bidding timetable for c2c which will see a new operator take over in May 2011.
Ellen Rossiter, spokeswoman for National Express said: "Whilst this decision was expected, given the event of the default of the National Express East Coast franchise, the company is disappointed given the excellent improvement in performance delivered by the group over the past five and a half years of operating the franchise."
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Your Say YourEcho
Scoot, St Osyth says...
5:14pm Thu 26 Nov 09
Why should we have to wait until 2011 ?? Get rid of them now. All NEXEA will do is stop maintenance on the trains and cut back any spending so there will be more breakdowns. Already this week some mainline services have been short formed due to faults on trains thus causing overcrowding. No doubt it will get much worse. Hopefully when the new franchise is granted all the current management will be got rid of and the new guys will actually consider providing a decent service and also consider passengers rather than treating us like cattle.
Goonerboy, Colchester says...
5:25pm Thu 26 Nov 09
hughie-s, Here says...
5:32pm Thu 26 Nov 09
Goonerboy wrote:I'll be the consultant who thinks up the new name ...
I have just realised I need to change jobs and go to business repainting trains and station signs. How much money does rebranding and marketing cost every time they change, the paint is hardly dry.
London Anglia Train Express
Dug, Brightlingsea says...
9:46pm Thu 26 Nov 09
Scoot, St Osyth says...
10:21am Fri 27 Nov 09
Nebs, Westcliff-on-Sea says...
11:24am Fri 27 Nov 09
Moby, Thundersley says...
11:54am Fri 27 Nov 09
That should make the Olympic team happy that nobody will be able to get to Leigh on time for the Mountain Biking.
jonny_h, Laindon says...
2:02pm Fri 27 Nov 09
Wakering Chap, Great Wakering says...
2:00pm Sun 29 Nov 09
Moby, Nat Ex already hold c2c franchise.
Scoot, trains break. That will be why you had a short formed service. Has your car never broken down? There are not loads of carrages just sitting around "just in case". Many appologies for your spoilt journey.
Nebs - Spot on.
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The Gentleman, Burnt Mills says...
4:00pm Thu 26 Nov 09
.
April Fools' Day 2011... I do hope that's not an omen.