WARM WELCOME FOR ASSURANCE OVER EAST COAST RAIL LINK.

WARM WELCOME FOR ASSURANCE OVER EAST COAST RAIL LINK.

SNP Business and Enterprise spokesperson Mike Weir MP has this evening (Monday) given a “cautious welcome” to an assurance from Transport Secretary Lord Adonis that he did not see cuts being made in the service on the East Coast main line north of Edinburgh under a new franchise.

Mr Weir has been pressing the matter since the announcement that National Express would lose the franchise later this year and raised the matter directly at a meeting with Lord Adonis this evening.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Weir said that whilst the assurance was welcome it remained important that everyone in the North East of Scotland made clear their views in the forthcoming public consultation.

Mr Weir said:

“Whilst I give a cautious welcome to the assurance from Lord Adonis it is still not an absolute guarantee that there will be no cuts in service. He stressed that the UK government will specify the service level obligations and did not see any cuts.

“The East Coast main line is an important link for my own constituency, and indeed the whole of the North East of Scotland .The whole community must ensure that their voices are heard to ensure that the service is maintained, and no cuts are made to services particularly to stations between Edinburgh and Aberdeen.”

Lord Adonis also outlined the process for the public consultation beginning with a consultation led by Passenger Focus who will consult widely with “stakeholders” over what they wish to see in the new franchise.

Mr Weir believes that this will be the crucial point in the process.

Mr Weir added:

“Clearly at this point it must be made absolutely clear the importance of the line to the North East of Scotland as it will be from this that the UK government will draw up the draft specification for the franchise.

“The grant of the new franchise will not take place until the second half of next year.”