PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
WITHDRAWAL OF RESTAURANT CARS ON EAST COAST MAIN LINE (10 February 2011)

That this House notes that before rail privatisation British Rail provided 249 trains a day with restaurant cars, all open to first and standard-class passengers; is dismayed that from May 2011, to reduce costs in readiness for re-privatisation, East Coast is to remove its restaurant cars, resulting in the entire rail network offering only four trains a day with a dedicated restaurant car available to both standard and first-class passengers, excluding the Scotland to London sleeper services; further notes that the ability to enjoy a restaurant car meal enhances the passenger experience on long distance journeys and that the removal of the rail restaurants since privatisation demonstrates again that train operators put profit before passenger comfort; and calls on East Coast to reverse the decision to remove restaurant car facilities from its services and for the Government to explore how restaurant cars can be re-introduced on our railways.

Sponsored by:
Mrs Linda Riordan (Labour)