First to rival Virgin East Coast with budget service (Read 515 times)

[Deleted]

uk.news.yahoo.com/budget-east-coast-train-approved-161957916.html

First have been given permission to run a budget service on the East Coast Mainline.

Virgin East Coast are considering legal action after First won the rights to run 5 services a day from 2021.

[woah]

I suppose it is good news but it does indeed seem a bit odd that First have been been allowed this in a franchised system without any sort of tender process.

[TC60054]

May 12, 2016 18:57:57 GMT woah said:

I suppose it is good news but it does indeed seem a bit odd that First have been been allowed this in a franchised system without any sort of tender process.

That's how open access operators work - look at Grand Central / Hull Trains for example - though it's pretty surprising that they let First operate in direct competition with VTEC.