Norton Rose Fulbright’s rail practice has advised the UK government’s Department for Transport on the re-letting of the Intercity East Coast franchise. The Department announced its intention to award the franchise to Inter City Railways Limited (ICRL), a joint venture between Stagecoach and Virgin, on November 27 2014.

ICRL has agreed to invest £140 million in the East Coast main line rail route over eight years, and will pay the government £3.3 billion for the contract. The franchise route will benefit from substantial infrastructure investment, service improvements and, from 2018, new Intercity Express rolling stock.

The East coast main line has been in public ownership and operated under a service agreement since 2009 and the new franchise will see its return to the private sector. The new franchise will commence on 1 March 2015 immediately following the sale of the shares in the current operator to ICRL.

The team was led by head of rail Tom Johnson, assisted by Louise Auty, Aida Topcagic and Nichola Johnson. Partner Jill Gauntlett, Sarah Mathers and George Mason advised on corporate matters, Peter Scott and Caroline Thomas on competition matters, Lesley Browning and Ed Hunnisett in relation to pensions, Mike Knapper and George Cameron on Intellectual Property, Patrick Farrell on dispute resolution and litigation, Matthew Hodkin on tax matters, with additional trainee support from Georgie Field, Tudor Plapcianu and Anna Loake.