National Express in new train deal

Just one operator will run out of London's Liverpool Street station

Train passengers on busy East of England routes have been promised a raft of service improvements, as the first "new-style" franchise was announced.

Transport company National Express pledged better train services and station upgrades, with its takeover of a newly-created Greater Anglia franchise.

The franchise will operate from April 2004 for seven years.

That could be extended to 10 years if performance and service quality targets are met.

It comprises the existing Anglia and Great Eastern services and the West Anglia routes of the West Anglia Great Northern (WAGN) franchise.

Improvements promised by National Express £11.3m of station improvements, with more than 50 stations being upgraded within 18 months Better services, including through services from Liverpool Street to Peterborough and Lowestoft via Ipswich from December this year Refurbishment of trains, including new coaches on the London to Norwich routes More staff at stations

The deal was signed on Friday with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) which announced before Christmas that National Express was its preferred bidder for the new franchise.

"Our priority will be to deliver the punctuality and reliability improvements that the SRA and the public expect," said National Express Group chief executive, Phil White.

SRA chairman Richard Bowker said: "This is a new era of train operator contracts. They offer stability for investors, clarity for operators and certainty for passengers."

The new franchise means that just one operator will run out of London's Liverpool Street station - a situation that should improve train punctuality.

Under new SRA policy, franchises awarded from now on set clearer requirements for the services to be delivered to passengers.

Challenging targets

In addition, the SRA said the new franchise would mean longer trains on the Stansted Express and a move to four trains an hour between Stansted and London.

Mr Bowker said: "Passengers and their interests are at the heart of this new model. The model demands that clear and challenging quality targets are met by operators."

Another major transport company, FirstGroup, which has been running Great Eastern, failed to make the shortlist.

FirstGroup announced on Thursday it would be among bidders for a new East Coast Main Line franchise which will run from next year.