Stagecoach Group has secured a short-term contract extension to continue operating passenger services for East Midlands rail in the UK.
As per the direct contract awarded by the Department for Transport (DfT), the company will operate the rail franchise for an additional six months.
Stagecoach’s East Midlands Trains will continue to offer inter-city services from London St Pancras International to Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire until 18 August.
The agreement also includes the option to extend the contract by up to a six rail periods.
UK Rail Minister Andrew Jones said: “East Midlands Trains has achieved good performance and passenger satisfaction levels during the time they have been operating the franchise and the new agreement will allow for a smooth transition into the next competitively-tendered franchise.”
The minister added that East Midlands Trains will make an investment of £150,000 in the following months to improve accessibility at the stations.
East Midlands Trains is also expected to simplify the application process for Delay Repay.
Additionally, Stagecoach and East Midlands Trains will help in advancing the £1.5bn Midland Main Line upgrade work.
The franchise will continue to offer real-time information through a mobile app. The app also allows passengers to book and pay for travel.
The East Midlands rail franchise provides a 4G Wi-Fi service. During the short-term extension, it is expected to continue to offer at least 15 minutes of free internet access to passengers in standard class.
