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Railhub Archive
2004-10-06 SRA-001
Strategic Rail Authority0
Detailed bids invited for new InterCity East Coast franchise
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 East Coast Main Line
Intercity East Coast
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   Detailed bids invited for new InterCity East Coast franchise
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 type Press release
The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has started the next stage in letting the new InterCity East Coast franchise by inviting the four pre-qualified companies to submit detailed bids.
The SRA will today issue bidders with a formal Invitation to Tender, specifying the requirements of the new franchise, which will operate from 1 May 2005.
The franchise will be for a period of seven years, plus a further three years if performance targets are met. Working closely with the Department for Transport, the SRA has ensured that the franchise specification is consistent with the Government's recent White Paper on The Future of Rail.
The four parties pre-qualified as bidders for the new franchise are: DSB (Danish Railways); First London, Scottish and North East Railway Ltd (FirstGroup plc); Great North Eastern Railway Ltd (Sea Containers Ltd); intercity-railways (consortium of Stagecoach Group plc and Virgin Group Investments Ltd).
The SRA expects to announce a Preferred Bidder early next year, with the successful company running passenger rail services on the East Coast Main Line following the expiry of the current franchise at the end of April 2005.
SRA Managing Director, Operations, Nicola Shaw, said: "The new franchise will be keenly contested between strong players with considerable rail experience. We look forward to their bids, setting out in detail what they will deliver for passengers and taxpayers."
Notes to Editors
1. The Invitation to Tender follows a consultation with key stakeholders
earlier this year. A 'Stakeholder Briefing Document' will be published
next week, outlining the franchise specification and the SRA's response
to points raised in the consultation.
2. The incumbent franchisee is GNER Holdings Ltd, whose Great North
Eastern Railway franchise is due to expire at the end of April 2005.
3. The franchise provides intercity passenger services between London,
parts of East Anglia, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, Humberside, the
North East and Scotland, principally along the East Coast Main Line
and other routes.
Railhub Archive ::: 2004-10-06 SRA-001
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