TRAIN bosses at National Express have announced profits of almost £100 million, thanks to its beleaguered Essex line.

After years of late-running trains, spiralling fares, lack of seats and strikes, National Express East Anglia was stripped of the Essex train franchise in March.

But National Express – which owns eight more franchises across the UK – this week posted a 26 per cent jump in half-year profits to £95.5 million, and it is all thanks to its Essex operation.

The firm’s two Essex lines – East Anglia and C2C – banked a £27 million profit from January to June, compared with £16m in 2010.

Profits on the East Anglia route into Liverpool Street rocketed 68 per cent in the six months to July, but National Express will have to give it up by February 2012.

National Express East Anglia chief executive David Finch said: “We hope in time we can rehabilitate ourselves and win more rail franchises.”

But Keith Norman, of the train drivers’ union ASLEF, said: “I bet he does. Everyone would like a licence to print money, assured that you can’t make a loss.

“This is the final proof that franchising is a ludicrously inefficient system entirely biased in favour of the company at the expense of the customer and the staff.

“They should be banned from UK rail franchises until they have repaid their debts to UK rail passengers.”

Shortlist

There is a shortlist of three companies who are vying to take over the burgeoning flourishing franchise – Go-Ahead Group, Stagecoach and Abellio – and frustrated rail users have drawn up a list of demands to give to the new operator.

Derek Monnery, chairman of the Essex Rail Users’ Federation, said: “We are very keen to avoid the horrendous problems that arose for passengers with the last franchise change.

“We are looking for a dialogue with the shortlisted companies and would like commitments from the potential new franchise holders on a number of issues.

“These include the refurbishment of the 17 new class 321/4s, which are 20 years old, and, as a minimum, we feel Essex needs half-hourly, off-peak train services on all lines, including on Sundays.”

In Chelmsford alone, 14,000 commuters head to London Liverpool Street every morning, with thousands more in Ingatestone, Shenfield, Kelvedon, Braintree, Witham and elsewhereSouth Woodham Ferrers.

Witham MP Priti Patel said: “We want to make sure, whoever gets the franchise, that they give rail users value for money.

“We don’t want to see a reduction in services and we want standards to go up.

“We also want to see proper investment in customer service, performance management and importantly, more accountability and transparency.

“I think it is important that they actually listen to our rail users and understand there is no room for compromise. We have people that commute to London and pay a lot on rail fares so it’s important to get it right.”