Commenting on new reports from the ORR on rail industry finances and Which? on passenger satisfaction, Labour’s Shadow Rail Minister Lilian Greenwood MP said:

“Today’s reports prove that the forthcoming East Coast sell-off is set to be a terrible blunder that puts privatisation ahead of passengers’ and taxpayers’ best interests. The reports from both Which? and the Office of Rail Regulation underline the need for rail industry reform – reforms David Cameron’s Government have been unwilling to consider at a time when fares are up by more than 20 per cent since 2010.

“East Coast was one of only two train operating companies that made a net contribution to the Treasury once infrastructure costs were taken in to account, and passenger satisfaction is still shockingly poor.

“East Coast also had better passenger satisfaction than any long-distance franchise. This is a service that the Government rushed to privatise without even allowing the publicly owned British operator to bid for the route. Labour will end the bias against the public sector and institute a new body for running the railway which will have a strong voice for passengers at its heart.”​