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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| National Express wins rail route | National Express wins rail route |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| National Express has won the battle to operate the main London-to-Scotland 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 Main Line franchise by the Department for Transport after a bidding war. | |
| National Express beat off opposition from Arriva, First Group and 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 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 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 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. | "The whole deal is very good news, not only for passengers but for the taxpayer," said Transport Minister Tom Harris, speaking to the BBC. |
| Under the terms of the deal, National Express has agreed to pay the Treasury £1.4bn in total to operate the franchise until the end of March 2015. | |
| The group, which also operates the Gatwick and Stansted Express and the inter-city services between Yorkshire, the east Midlands and London through Midland Mainline, has also pledged to invest in extra services, stations and on-board services. |