GNER is looking to win more rail franchises in a bid to secure its future.

The York-based company has confirmed it wants to expand in the wake of speculation which suggested its fate could hang in the balance.

The Evening Press has reported how the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), the rail watchdog, is looking to redraw the franchise map for Britain's railways.

Its plans, to cut the number of train operating companies (TOCs), could see major rail operators which own multiple franchises - such as Stagecoach and National Express - benefit as smaller companies are eased out.

GNER, which runs the flagship East Coast Main Line Franchise, has been a commercial and passenger success.

But as it owns only one franchise, it is a smaller player in comparison with some of its competitors.

Now GNER has confirmed it is committed to expansion - if the opportunity is right.

The Station Rise-based firm recently missed out on its bid to run services in London, a franchise which was won by the strike-hit South West Trains.

But it has not ruled out further bids in the future - either at home or abroad.

GNER company spokesman David Mallender said: "We have bid for other franchises. There is no reason in the future, if any suitable franchises were available, why we wouldn't look to expand our operation both home and abroad."

Meanwhile, Fran Critchley, of the York-based Rail Passengers' Committee (RPC), said regardless of the uncertainty surrounding GNER, whatever happened in the future had to be for the good of passengers.

"From the point of view of passengers, it makes no difference to the RPC who runs the franchise," she said.

"We want to see reliability on the trains. If a better bid came forward we would want to see that (accepted) for passengers.

"One of the problems of rail privatisation was rail fragmentation. From a personal point of view, I would say yes (to moves to reduce the number of TOCs).

"GNER has the franchise until 2005. That's quite secure."

Updated: 11:52 Monday, February 18, 2002