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blog Public services RMT calls for long term re-nationalisation of East Coast Main Line
blog Public services RMT calls for long term re-nationalisation of East Coast Main Line 
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Friday, 09 October 2009 00:00
RMT calls for long term re-nationalisation of East Coast Main Line
Rail Union RMT have welcomed the announcement by Transport Secretary Lord Adonis that the East Coast Main Line franchise, currently run by National Express, will be renationalised this autumn for longer than originally expected but have called on the government to set a firm timetable for bringing the route under public ownership on a permanent basis.The impending collapse of National Express on the East Coast was first confirmed at the end of June and since then the company have been at the centre of intense takeover speculation. The government have also failed to confirm that the cross-default clauses will be applied, stripping National Express of their more profitable East Anglia and C2C franchises.
Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said:
“The uncertainty and speculation over the future of the East Coast Main Line creates an atmosphere of instability for both staff and passengers alike.
“While we welcome the statement from Lord Adonis that he will look beyond short-term, crisis measures for the line he should now set out a planned and secure future for the East Coast route by setting a firm timetable for public ownership on a long term basis. He should also take the opportunity to confirm that National Express’s East Anglia and C2C routes will be renationalised under the cross-default rules.
“National Express is the second privatisation failure on the East Coast Mainline in just three years, following on from the collapse of GNER. It makes no sense to go to all of the expense of setting up a publicly owned service only to follow the same, failed, privatisation route a couple of years down the line. That’s a waste of time and money and flies in the face of common sense and public opinion.”
