2015-02-25 George Bradshaw address, 2015 (Mark Carne)

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date 7 May 2004
source Strategic Rail Authority
type Press release

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) today announced that four parties have successfully pre-qualified as bidders for the new InterCity East Coast franchise. The parties are:

DSB (Danish Railways)
First London, Scottish and North East Railway Ltd (FirstGroup plc)
Great North Eastern Railway Ltd (Sea Containers Ltd)
inter city-railways (consortium of Deutsche Bahn AG, Stagecoach
Group plc and Virgin Group Investments Ltd)

In the next stage of the franchising process, the SRA will invite the four parties to submit detailed bids. The SRA expects to announce a preferred bidder this winter, with the successful company running passenger rail services on the East Coast Main Line from 1 May 2005.

SRA Chairman Richard Bowker said: "All of these parties are strong players with considerable rail experience. It is particularly good to see strong international participation. The parties had to reach a high threshold to pre-qualify, and we now look forward to inviting them to submit detailed bids outlining what they will do for passengers and taxpayers."

Notes to Editors
1. The incumbent franchisee is GNER Holdings Ltd, whose Great North
Eastern Railway franchise is due to expire at the end of April 2005.
2. The franchise will continue to provide intercity passenger services
principally between London, parts of East Anglia, the East Midlands,
Yorkshire, Humberside, the North East and Scotland along the East
Coast Main Line and other routes. The new franchise will be for seven
years, with an extension of three years provided the franchisee meets
agreed performance criteria.

Railhub Archive ::: 2004-05-07 SRA-001