SHADOW Transport Secretary Andy McDonald has visited York in the run-up to the renationalisation of the East Coast Mainline on Sunday.

He was shown around Network Rail’s Rail Operating Centre by York Central Labour MP Rachael Maskell and Rob McIntosh, of Network Rail.

Ms Maskell said the service was being taken back into public control and rebranded as the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) a little over three years after Virgin Trains East Coast started running it.

She said Labour would renationalise the whole rail network and make it work in the public’s interests. and she would ‘hold the Government’s feet to the fire’ to ensure passengers saw improvements on the line in the next spending round.