COMPLAINING about the railways has become something of a national pastime, with fares, punctuality, catering, and the availability of seats all taking their fair share of flak.

But while complaints are an inevitabilty for service providers, we consider GNER to have done a pretty good job as the operator of the East Coast Main Line.

And it is vital to the prosperity of this region that GNER's successor at least maintains the level of service we have become accustomed to.

National Express will take over the franchise on December 9 with the challenge of meeting the demands of rail travellers while managing a financial commitment which is greater than the deal which GNER ultimately found to be unsustainable.

Whether the new operator can cope with that increased premium to the Government has to be a concern, as does the warning that passengers face a higher than inflation increase in fares.

The Government rightly wants to ease traffic congestion for the sake of the environment, but that aspiration depends on public transport being affordable and comfortable.

If travellers are to be asked to pay more for their rail service, they have to be given more chance of getting a seat.

National Express' contract demands extra services and therefore less overcrowding, and that is where we believe there is the most room for improvement.

As the GNER era comes to an end and National Express prepares to take over, we look to the future with an appreciation that it won't be easy.