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National Express wins rail route National Express wins rail route
(30 minutes later)
National Express has won the franchise to operate the main London-to-Edinburgh rail route. National Express has won the battle to operate the main London-to-Scotland rail route.
The transport group was awarded the contract to run the East Coast Mainline franchise by the Department of Transport after a bidding battle. The transport group was awarded the contract to run the East Coast Mainline franchise by the Department for Transport after a bidding war.
It will take over the operation of the line from GNER, which ran into financial troubles, from December. It beat off opposition from Arriva, First Group and a joint venture between Virgin Trains and Stagecoach to win the lucrative contract.
National Express beat a joint venture between Virgin Trains and Stagecoach to win the contract. The group will take over the operation from troubled GNER in December.
The franchise comprises high-speed services connecting London to Edinburgh and also serves other key destinations including Leeds and Aberdeen.
The franchise was put out to tender last year after GNER was struck by financial troubles and could not afford to pay the £1.3bn it had promised the government for the right to run the service.
"The whole deal is very good news, not only for passengers but for the taxpayer," said Transport Minister Tom Harris, speaking to the BBC.