PASSENGER groups have set out the tough standards they will expect from a new railway franchise serving much of the North-East.

The Northern rail franchise takes in remaining Arriva Trains Northern services which were left behind by the creation of a Transpennine Express franchise.

It includes routes to Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Sunderland and Newcastle - on the Durham coastal line.

In a report offering guidance to bidders for the franchise, the North-East Railway Passengers Committee calls for radical improvements in the provision of services.

It also demands:

* Stations to match the best stations of similar size and function in Europe.

* Dilapidated railway buildings be eradicated.

* A target of 100 per cent of scheduled trains actually running their full course.

The report suggests that any financial incentives from the Strategic Rail Authority protecting train operators from any failure to deliver the required service should be removed.

It said cancelled trains should also result in penalties to be paid into a fund for re-investment for the benefit of passengers in the area where the cancellation occurred.

Other problems affecting the network, such as trackside rubbish, are also said to be in need of improvement.

The authors of the report said: "Comfortable, reliable, frequent and punctual should be the norm for Northern Rail services."

The Northern Rail franchise is due to begin in the summer of next year and will run for up to seven years.

Companies shortlisted include Arriva, GB Railways and a partnership between Netherlands Railways and the Serco Rail Company.