PRESSURE is growing for the publicly owned firm that runs the East Coast Main Line to be allowed to bid to retain the service.
The firm Directly Operated Railways, which took over the running of the route between Scotland and London's King's Cross, is currently barred from competing to run the trains after it returns to public ownership in March.
But politicians say the taxpayer would benefit from it remaining in charge, as it has been since 2009.
Reports last night suggested Labour is expected to launch a Bill that could lead to the re-nationalisation of Britain's railways if it wins the General Election.
Former Scottish secretary Lord Forsyth tackled Transport Minister Baroness Kramer on the subject in the Lords yesterday.
He asked her: "The whole point of competitive tendering is to get the best value and the best deal for the taxpayer and if you are right that a state-owned company wouldn't be able to compete why is that a reason to exclude it from the process?" She said the bidding costs would be too high.
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