Support for the Evening Press campaign to secure GNER a 20-year extension to the East Coast Main Line is flooding in from York's great and good.

Since the campaign was launched last Thursday at York Station, messages of support have been received from city chiefs as well as members of the public.

"The Evening Press is right to campaign on this issue and they have my full support," said York MP Hugh Bayley.

"I have already written to the Deputy Prime Minister to push for the earliest possible decision. Uncertainty is bad for business, jobs and tourism in York.

"GNER is Britain's most successful rail company, it is a York-based business and it, and its staff, need to know their future is secure."

David Atkinson, chief executive of City of York Council, said the city needed a quick decision on the future of the key Anglo-Scottish rail artery.

"We support the call for a quick decision on the future of the East Coast Main Line - the uncertainty does not help the city of York and we need to know what the

future is of this vital transport link to the city."

Petitions are already streaming in to the Evening Press offices and messages backing the campaign have been received on e-mail.

And the campaign has also received a positive response in the industry itself.

Alan Heath, regional organiser for the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers' Union, which represents about 2,000 GNER staff, has firmly added his support to our campaign.

"It is a disgrace that this process has gone on so long," he told the Evening Press. "Our members want a decision quickly, their futures are at stake.

"I applaud the campaign and would add my public support for GNER."

He said the uncertainty was creating problems in the industry and called for the situation to be resolved as soon as possible.

Petition forms are available at York Station at Evening Press offices in York, Malton and Selby and the Maltings, Tanner's Moat, York.

Updated: 14:59 Monday, February 26, 2001