Stagecoach Wins East Midlands

Stagecoach Wins East Midlands

The Stagecoach Group plc has won the new East Midlands franchise. Stagecoach Midland Rail Limited takes over on 11th November 2007. The new franchise is a combination of the existing Midland Mainline services from London St Pancras and the eastern section of Central Trains. Over the life of the franchise, seven years and four months, the DfT will receive a premium of £133m from Stagecoach Midland Rail Limited. Hourly services between Kettering and London with through trains to Corby from 2008 feature in the agreement.  A 9% increase in peak capacity into and out of London St Pancras is promised by 2010 with more carriages on the busiest trains between Nottingham and Liverpool. Head of Stagecoach, Brian Souter said, ‘We are delighted to be entrusted by the Government with the contract to run a key rail franchise in a region that is the heart of the UK transport and logistics economy, with significant growth potential.’ Stagecoach runs South West Trains and Sheffield Supertram as well as partnering Virgin Rail.