The Government has promised improved services on a key London to Scotland rail route which it will take back into public ownership from midnight on Saturday.
Around £12 million worth of station improvements are promised the East Coast Main Line, which is being handed back to the Department for Transport by cash-strapped franchise holder National Express.
There will also be improved catering and the abolition of reservation charges on the line which will be run for the next two years by a public company - East Coast.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said today: "East Coast will remain in public hands for two years and there will be full continuity of service. But this is not a care and maintenance job. I want to see real improvements in the service and better value for money.
"East Coast staff have real pride in their jobs - they want to offer a fantastic service, and the new company will give them the tools for the job.
"This is a profitable railway - it needs to be the pride of its passengers and staff too and that's my aim for East Coast."
Saddled with huge £1.3billion premiums it had to pay to the Government over the lifetime of the franchise, National Express announced last July that it would only fund its East Coast operation for a few more months.
Lord Adonis said then that the line, which runs from King's Cross station in London to destinations including York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, would be taken back into the public sector when National Express's funding ceased.
The improvements will include an end to charges for seat reservations from January 1 2010; improvements at a number of English stations; a review of on-board catering in standard and first class and improved station and train cleanliness.
East Coast chairman Elaine Holt said: "On day one it's about business as usual for staff and customers. In the coming weeks and months, our first priority is to deliver 'the basics' to a consistently high standard.
"That means systematically maintaining a good reliable and punctual train service; helpful and proactive staff; well- maintained, clean and accessible stations and trains; and good quality information for every step of the journey.
"Over time we'll introduce further improvements to the service, the stations and the trains - our aim is to make sure that East Coast is the preferred way to travel along the length of the route and the best performing long distance rail operator."
Opposition MPs and rail unions have said the East Coast situation demonstrates what they describe as the weakness of the rail franchise system.
Rail unions have called for East Coast to remain permanently in the public sector. But the Government plans to invite parties to bid for the franchise which will eventually be put back into private hands.
Last updated: 02 December 2009, 12:21
The links provided allow you to bookmark this page into your favourite social media website. For users with JavaScript disabled copy and paste the URL from the address bar into your chosen social bookmarking site.