I NOTE with interest the support for the renewal of GNER's east coast rail francise (January 24). Whereas that may be good news for the company's employees, perhaps some thought may also be given to its passengers.

I commute to London four days a week and, although I have only been doing so for a short time, the trends of GNER's operations are already clear.

The services, in both directions, are seldom on time. In the mornings they are sometimes late by margins significant enough to make it difficult for me to get to work on time.

Unlike the other towns (Leeds, Doncaster and Wakefield) on its main Yorkshire routes, GNER does not offer a service from York which reaches London before 8am. The cost of a station car park annual season ticket is just about to rise from £756 to £864, a staggering 14 per cent increase.

Dr N L Young,

Mile End Park,

Pocklington,

York.

Updated: 11:27 Monday, January 31, 2005