Two suggestions for the Transport Secretary: 1 Offer Chris Garnett his old job. He understood railways 2. Abandon the franchise system, which is effectively a tax on rail travellers and bring in a profit sharing deal.

Robin Smith

I've travelled frequently from Yorkshire on the East Coast Mainline to Edinburgh and also to London. it seems clear that although there is one franchise the service is actually two distinct markets. It would be three, but now that airfares are so cheap I cannot believe London to Scotland is a major revenue stream. The Southern section was always exceptionally busy especially business travel,( I am sure others mayl also have been unable to sit down despite having paid for a first class seat). The Northern Section (Yorkshire to Scotland) was generally much less busy and consequently tickets were usually about a third to a quarter of the price for the same distance journey on the same train! A major revenue imbalance. The Franchise needs to be remodelled to take account of this, with more trains to Doncaster/York/Leeds/Sheffield and fewer (unfortunately) through trains to Scotland. It also needs to be remodelled on franchise lines, where the owner of the franchise takes a percentage of the revenue streams, thereby sharing success or failure. This would also encourage joint investment where more traffic could be generated. GNER always felt like a great experience. A rail journey of such beauty as Newcastle to Edinburgh needs a name to match.I shall not mourn the coach company who planned to remove the dining cars without ever really trying to make them work..

Rob Woodcock

Here's a prediction - in 3 years' time the line will have been in and out of public ownership and back in the hands of another (add any name you like) train operator. And we will STILL be moaning. Because the present franchise system does not respond to the individual needs of each rail service. Regional commuter trains are as different from what the GNER line (can't help harking back to the best train service we've ever had) requires as possible. There's a difference between "public transport" and "rail travel" - and it's not just semantics. Get your debate going NOW, David and involve as many vested interests as possible. We have just a few months of the Govt ownership period to influence the policies of the next decades. Otherwise there will be a quick fudge deal done with some other lacklustre operator with no links to the region; no concept of a "service" business and no "strategy" beyond a third paint job for these trains in less than 3 years. It's Thursday today - William Hague will undoubtedly be on his usual afternoon train back North. Grab hold of him at the station and get some support going!!

Peter Harkness

As someone who has used this service fir the past 15 years, on a weekly basis I have to say that, on the whole, I thought the service was pretty good. If however you were to ask me whether at £223 standard return it was value for money, well then bring on the discussion..whether it was National Express or GNER the people who would be paying the franchisee fee would be the passengers. Because of the success of the line and the success of our northern cities this is a back door tax by the government. Despite this the line is very busy, but there is no choice. We need a discussion on this which involves the cities that are connected and the businesses and people that ultimately will pay for the line. At the very least a pricing policy that rewards frequent users is needed. I remain sceptical. Money is what this government needs. One way or another they will get it from us.

Alistair Russell

This is just one example of a much bigger story. The railway network in the UK overall needs a complete reconceptualisation. Its horribly expensive, cramped, ocasionally with very poor onboard facilities and essentially quite stressful to use at the busiest of times. Why such a poor railway in such a hugely wealthy country? Beware the UK tax payer for the potential failure of the privitization of the railways. New Zealand was one of the first countries in modern history to sell off its railways and had to buy it back last year, due to manifest failures. Hence the taxpayer paid for it twice! Complete rethink required please.

Michael Canning

It seems clear to me that the franchise is unsustainable for any franchisee. Unless the government is prepared to renegotiate at realistic and maybe subsidised rates, I can't see any business making a go of it. Robert Wilmot is right; the Government needs to review the model.

Stephen Mitchell

Lets hope the route proves attractive enough to am operator like Virgin. Investment in rolling stock is needed urgently.

Nathan Lane

It was short-sighted greed, so to blame for recent problems in the economy that led to National Express winning the franchise with an unrealistic bid. We need long term thinking about rail infrasturcture, and I would question whether the existing franchise terms encourage proper long term investment and forward thinking strategic planning. GNER deserved to keep the route, and surely it makes sense for operators with proven records to be given preference in future, rather than the Government just taking the biggest envelope and then leave the customers to put up with a poor service that is designed to reduce operating costs.

Paul Snape

I remember the good old days of British Rail and Steam Engines. I once had a holiday job with BR Catering - I was in the meat pie reviving section.

Mike Firth

Insightful as always. Sixty years after the Transport Act which brought BR into existence, it would surely be beyond the Pale to expect another, however piece-meal? Prior to BR, the extant regional railways had considerable poltical lobbying power - this clout was swept away via nationalisation, playing into the welcoming hands of the air and car industry lobbies - and the rest is history. If business 'gives up' on unprofitable routes, is it conceivable that any incoming Govt of a different colour, opposed to nationalisation, might do the same, to save the taxpayer? Somewhere the ghost of Dr Beeching is rattling his chains....

Martin Hickes

I agree David. Since National Express took over from GNER it has been a shambles. GNER ran an excellent service - from quality of food to wi-fi. I really believe that the problem is the franchising model which sees the Goverment tantalised by unrealistic tenders by companies such as National Express, in the hope that this will keep down the requirement for public subsidy. For private public partnerships to work, they need to be realistic and honest from the start. Now David... about the Post Office....

Robert Wilmot