CMA now says coach and rail do compete

摘要

In a complete turnaround from the view of its previous incarnation as the Competition Commission, the Competition & Markets Authority says coaches and trains compete for business at the northern end of the East Coast Main Line. On 6 February, it gave Inter City Railways - the Virgin-branded train company owned 90% by Stagecoach and 10% by Virgin Group - five working days to offer remedies to competition concerns it has raised ahead of ICR taking over the East Coast franchise on 1 March. Otherwise it says it will undertake an in-depth investigation into the franchise award. Some of these concern potential overlap with Stagecoach-owned East Midlands Trains between Peterborough, Grantham and Lincoln on which the CMA says there is only a minimal coach service.