Petition Abandon East Coast Mainline franchise and run the line on an open access basis

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The current system of having the majority of rail services operated under franchise contracts from the DfT stifles competition and results in a poorer service for the customer. True competition in the form of open access operators who are forced to compete in true free market conditions results in better quality of service for the passengers as companies are forced to 'improve or die'. It also spurs new services between destinations not currently provided.

A franchise holder can sit back knowing it has a government sponsored monopoly for x years.

Franchising should only be used as a last resort where the Dft determines that a particular service is needed but no open access operator is providing it.

As the East Coast franchise is currently run by the DfT and is up for renewal shortly it would be a perfect opportunity to let open access thrive as there are already 2 OA operators on this route and another (GNER) waiting in the wings

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

4 signatures

Progress of the petition towards its next target: 4 of 10,000 signatures required to get a government response

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10,000 signatures required to get a government response

Date closed 28 August 2013
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