ONLY one in five voters are in favour of reprivatising the East Coast Main Line, a survey has found.

The results were published as campaigners protested outside three North-East stations against Government plans to hand the line back to a private company.

The survey of 1,000 adults was conducted by the antiprivatisation campaign group We Own It.

Nearly three-fifths – 58 per cent – of those asked said they opposed plans to remove the line from the control of publicly- owned Directly Operated Railways.

One in five – 21 per cent – said they were unsure about the proposals.

The poll also found that more Conservative voters – 48 per cent – were against reprivatisation than are in favour of it – 28 per cent.

We Own It director Catt Hobbs said: “The East Coast Main Line, like other public services, should not be run for profit.

“The general public know this and they don’t want to see the line reprivatised.”

Members of the Northern TUC and rail campaigners protested at Darlington, Durham and Newcastle stations yesterday as part of the TUC’s Action for Rail campaign.

Neil Foster, policy and campaigns officer for the Northern TUC, said: “Since it was renationalised, East Coast has made a large contribution to the taxpayer.

“We want some of that money go into lowering rail fares and improving services, but the Conservative-led Government’s decision to try to privatise the franchise means the money would go to corporate shareholders instead.”

Louise Baldock, Labour parliamentary candidate for the Stockton South seat, was among the protestors.

She said: “Even Conservative voters reject the Government’s stance on this. At least half of them want the line to stay in public ownership.”

Stockton South Conservative MP James Wharton said the Government had a duty to ensure the best possible quality of service to passengers and get good value for money for taxpayers.

“I will be doing all I can to ensure that whatever the decision those of us who use the the line regularly do not lose out,” he added.