TRANSPORT bosses have accused the government of neglecting one of the North East’s most important transport routes.

Months after financial issues with the current Virgin Trains East Coast Mainline Franchise became apparent, there is still no certainty over its future.

Members of the North East Combined Authority’s (NECA) Transport North East Committee expressed their frustration at a meeting in Sunderland Civic Centre.

Nick Forbes, the panel’s chairman and leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “The government seems to have taken its eye off the ball with regards to what improvements it needs for the East Coast.”

In a report prepared for the committee in February, the Department for Transport (DfT) admitted the franchise was due to “run out of money and will not last until 2020”.

There are no concerns over the day-to-day running of the route, but there are concerns about infrastructure improvements and commitments for new services.

Coun Forbes has written to the DfT reminding it of its promise to provide 3,100 extra seats on the route at peak morning times by 2020, shorter journey times and £140 to improve trains and stations.

He told the meeting: “I’ve had a very anodyne letter back saying a lot has been achieved.”