Stagecoach has promised to spend £400m on improvements at South West Trains after confirmation that it had won the contract to retain the franchise.
It will improve stations, including redevelop Clapham Junction, south London. Suburban station platforms will be made longer so they can take bigger trains.
Bidders to run the East Coast Main Line have only a fortnight to resubmit their bids. The Strategic Rail Authority plans to establish a joint venture company for the lines upgrade. Cost overruns could take the project to nearly £4bn, which is double the original estimate.
Financial Times 03/04/01 page 2
The Independent 03/04/01 page 16
The Guardian 03/04/01 page 25
