In an interview published in New Statesman on January 22, Lord Adonis warned that DfT's schedule to re-let the East Coast franchise in February 2015 could run out of time. Adonis was Transport Secretary when the franchise was taken into public ownership in 2009. According to Adonis, the drive to return the franchise to private ownership before the 2015 general election is based on 'pure ideology'. He said that the Conservatives 'don't like the concept of a successful state company and they're keen to kill this idea before it gains traction and might gain other franchises'. Other private-sector companies are also very anxious that East Coast is abolished before the election, 'so that it provides less competition to them for future franchises', he added.
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