‘Carry on up the east coast’— a case study in railway franchising

Abstract

A significant aspect of the privatization of the British railway industry was that the provision of passenger train services would be awarded on a competitively tendered franchise basis. The turbulence in the ownership of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) franchise is testimony to the inherent and serious structural weaknesses in the business model underlying the franchising of train services and highlights the more general failings of the government's model of railway privatization.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sean McCartney

Sean McCartney is Professor of Accounting and Business History, School of Business and Management, Queen Mary, University of London, UK.

John Stittle

John Stittle is Senior Lecturer in Accounting, Essex Business School, University of Essex, UK.