One of the UK's biggest rail franchises will be brought under public control next week.

The London-to-Edinburgh East Coast Main Line will transfer to a Government-controlled company on November 13.

Private sector operator National Express has given up the loss-making franchise after saying it was paying too much to run services on the line in 2007.

Transport minister Lord Adonis said: "I can assure the travelling public that services will continue without disruption and all tickets will be honoured."

Staff currently employed by National Express East Coast will transfer to the new operator, with services likely to remain in public hands until 2011.

National Express was committed to pay £1.3 billion under the original franchise, but passenger revenues were hit by the recession and talks with the DfT about easing the terms of the deal foundered earlier this year.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport union, said: "This is a shambles rooted in the discredited policy of rail privatisation."

06 November 2009