A DECISION on the future of the East Coast Main Line railway franchise will be announced shortly, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling says.

The issue was raised at Commons Question Time by York MP Hugh Bayley, who said: "There is no doubt that GNER has performed substantially better than any other train operating company."

He said 20,000 members of the public had written to support the company's bid.

He said: "GNER's current franchise ends in just a few weeks' time. Do you agree that the current uncertainty should be ended as soon as possible?"

Mr Darling said that a substantial number of representations had been made to him about the new franchise.

He said: "I hope to make an announcement in relation to the franchise very, very shortly."

The issue concerns the Government's decision regarding which company will be awarded the contract to run services on the East Coast Main Line for the next ten years.

Sources said GNER would pay the Government £100m a year if it wins the contract.

Tory Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh said the vast majority of constituents who had written to her also favoured the GNER bid.

She said: "The franchise should not just be awarded on the basis of value for money, but also for customer service.

"Can you respond to a newspaper report that GNER is being asked to pay £100m to your department? On what basis would that be?

"Shouldn't that money go towards improving an already excellent service ?"

Mr Darling said: "At some point, we have to be able to get some money in from at least some of the train companies because we do pay out large sums of money to other operators, who are not in that happy position.

"I find it odd that a Conservative should be advocating that we do not accept money from people taking a franchise."