Alex is a long-standing opponent of the re-privatisation of East Coast Main Line.
He has campaigned consistently on this – and launched a petition last May on the subject.
Last May he also joined 30 other Labour candidates in calling for the renationalization of ALL our railways.
So it’s no surprise that he is now backing Labour’s co-ordinated last minute effort to stop the privatisation of the East Coast Main Line.
Following Shadow Transport Secretary Michael Dugher’s letter to the Transport Department’s top civil servant last week, where he requested an urgent intervention before the contract is formally signed, Labour have set up an online petition to show David Cameron the level of feeling against the decision to sell off the franchise.
You can sign the petition here.
The announcement that East Coast was to be sold off to Virgin and Stagecoach was made over a week ago. At that stage Michael Dugher branded the situation “absurd”.
The process has been rushed, in what is clearly a political move to try and get it out of public ownership before the election.
GNER was the first company whose franchise on the East Coast collapsed. This was quickly followed by the collapse of the National Express East Coast franchise in 2009, which left the railway lacking investment and with decreasing passenger satisfaction and performance. The then Secretary of State for Transport, Andrew Adonis put this basket-case franchise back into the public sector.
Since then, Directly Operated Railways has successfully operated the East Coast service, achieving record performance and passenger satisfaction whist investing in services and delivering below average fare increases. Crucially, since 2009, East Coast trains will have returned over £1bn back to the Treasury and taxpayers by the time the new franchise begins.
As Alex said:
‘Five years ago, East Coast Main Line was in private hands. It was running at a loss.
Five years later, it’s generated over £1 billion in profits – FOR US.
The rush to re-privatise it flies in the teeth of massive public support for the nationalized company – one of the best train operating companies in the UK.
It’s not too late for the Coalition to stop this.
Please sign Labour’s petition and add your voice to the thousands calling for the end of this dogma-driven privatization.’
You can sign the petition here.
If you want to help Alex in his campaign to win here in Leeds NW, why not sign up here
Leeds North West Constituency 