National Express to lose East Anglia in 2011

[Jack]

Due to NatEx defaulting on the East Coach franchise, there won't be an extension on the East Anglia franchise with it coming to an end in August 2011. The future of c2c still remains under consideration.

[Davidc]

Both the c2c and East Anglia franchises come to an end in 2011 so they could lose both in the same year

National Express are certainly making the headlines at the moment. I don't think anyone can be certain about their future.

David.c

[MetrolineGA1511]

This seems needlessly harsh and potentially not in passengers' interests. The current National Express franchises perform well and are evidently under good local management. There is a risk that any new franchisees may bring in less effective managers or be poorly costed from the outset.

There may not even be a case for preventing National Express from bidding for new franchises either. Their Chief Exec at the time of their East Coast bid, Richard Bowker, is no longer with the company. This in itself should make their ill-fated East Coast bid water under the bridge now, or at least once his successor takes up the post.

It's a pity also because Andrew Adonis has been such a keen advocate of rail use and the extension of electrification and high-speed rail.

Mind you, now that the East Anglia and C2C franchises expire in mid-2011 there may be a case for a combined Super-Anglia franchise combining the two.