Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Jim Cousins (Labour), on Tuesday, 12 May 2009, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 30 members in total.

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NATIONAL EXPRESS EAST COAST MAIN LINE FRANCHISE

That this House is gravely concerned that a termination of the One East Coast Main Line rail franchise by the operator, National Express, could leave a billion pound plus hole in Government finances, since under the franchise National Express was due to pay the Government ??1.4 billion in premium payments up to 2015; recognises that privatisation has failed the East Coast Main Line for a second time after the previous collapse of the GNER franchise; notes that a publicly-funded modernisation of the East Coast Main Line was followed by years of public subsidy to support private operators; is appalled that the National Express Group paid out nearly ??60 million in dividends to shareholders in 2008 and attempted to protect revenue by increasing fares and slashing jobs to protect profit margins; believes there must be no renegotiation of rail franchises and that if franchise commitments cannot be met they should be taken into public ownership; urges the Government to prevent a defaulting operator holding any other franchises or bidding for other rail contracts; and calls on the Government to hold an urgent debate on the future of rail franchises and whether a publicly-owned railway would offer a better deal to taxpayers and passengers alike.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

1469 

Session

2008-09

Other sponsors

Mark Lazarowicz

Ann Cryer

Bill Etherington

Baroness Clark of Kilwinning

Linda Riordan

Subjects

Railways

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk