THE race for the Trans Pennine Express franchise looks to have been delayed following an intervention by Stephen Byers.

The Transport Secretary had been asked to consider Connex as the preferred bidder for the railway line by the Strategic Rail Authority.

However it is believed he has refused to rule out the other two bidders for the contract - Arriva and the consortium of First Group and Keolis. Mr Byers has asked the SRA to invite all three to submit revised final bids together with a baseline specification for the franchise.

The SRA is to liaise with the five Passenger Transport Executives in the affected area - Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Tyne and Wear, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire - in drawing up detailed requirements.

It has said it will now engage in a two month consultation process before evaluating the revised bids.

This could result in a new preferred bidder being recommended to Mr Byers with a final decision being taken early in 2002.

A rail industry source told The Northern Echo: "There was a preferred bidder that the SRA recommended to Mr Byers. But it would appear that he has said no and has now asked the companies to re-tender."

Connex has the been the focus of fierce criticism from passenger groups over its running of the South Central Line in London.

The SRA itself has also been attacked for its handling of the Trans Pennine franchise process.

Mr Byers said: "I hope the SRA will be able to negotiate with bidders a basis for providing additional benefits more widely across the region."