NATIONAL Express Group has entered the race to run train services on the East Coast Main Line.

The country's largest long-distance coach operator said it had expressed an interest in running the franchise to operate trains from York to London and Edinburgh, as the deadline closed yesterday.

Current holders York-based GNER, a subsidiary of Sea Containers, would not confirm whether it would be submitting another bid, but expressed an interest in maintaining an involvement with the contract.

A GNER spokesman said: "We have been approached by a number of potential bidders and are exploring a number of options in relation to that.

"We are not confirming whether we have submitted a bid either with or without another party, but we have no intention of standing on the sidelines with this.

"We remain very interested in being actively involved in shaping this franchise beyond the life of the current contract."

If National Express won the franchise it would be in direct competition with the company's coaches between London and Edinburgh.

Chief executive Richard Bowker said: "Our aim with the East Coast route is to build on what has been achieved and create a truly world class integrated transport business.

"As National Express, we are unique in being able to operate such a wide range of integrated transport products and services, and we intend to make all of these features of our proposals for Inter City East Coast."

Asked if the company planned to keep the headquarters in York, a National Express spokeswoman said: "Certainly, we are going to look at all the options but at the moment we can't say yes or no either way.

"But we understand how important an issue this is to the people of York."

Rival operators First and a 50/50 partnership between Virgin and Stagecoach had already confirmed they would be bidding.

Both lost out to GNER in the race to win the franchise to operate trains from York to London and Edinburgh in 2005, but have pitched fresh bids this time round.

Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder, said: "Stagecoach and Virgin have proved that Britain's railways can be transformed and that it is possible to provide good quality service, passenger growth and operate highly efficient franchises.

"Together, we have a breadth of skill in both high-speed operations and dealing with major infrastructure issues that is unsurpassed in the UK.

"We look forward to applying this to create a winning bid, which will be attractive to customers and taxpayers alike."

York MP Hugh Bayley has urged GNER's management team to launch their own, independent bid for the franchise - and safeguard 400 jobs in York.

He said he had put down a Parliamentary question asking how many companies had submitted expressions of interest in running the franchise and when Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander will announce the identity of the short-listed bidders.

He said: "I want to know the identity of the bidders so I can question them on whether they would continue to base the HQ in York, and if not what management functions they would base in York and whether they would talk to the existing management team with a view to involving them with their bid.

"I would want to do that with all the bidders and I think whoever formed a partnership with the existing management team would have something extra to offer the Department of Transport in their application because they would be bringing the experience of those who have been running the East Coast Main Line for the last ten years."

The Department for Transport is expected to announce a list of short-listed bidders for the Coast franchise next month, with a final decision to be announced in July or August.