EAST COAST MAINLINE PROPOSED RE-FRANCHISING

That this House supports the continuation of the state-owned Directly Operated Railways operating the London to Scotland East Coast mainline; congratulates it for generating £640 million in premiums and profits which has been paid to the Government since 2009; further congratulates it for achieving record customer satisfaction, which is in stark contrast to the failed model of National Express, a private and almost unworkable franchise that reneged on a £1.4 billion contract; recalls the fiasco over the failed West Coast franchise; rejects Government plans to return the East Coast route to private ownership before the 2015 general election, surrendering significant future public profits; and strongly believes that a publicly-owned railway system is in the public interest and beneficial to Government and customer alike.