BBC says National Express tried to buy out contract

LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) - Britain's Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis declined comment on Wednesday on a BBC report that National Express (NEX.L) offered more than 100 million pounds to end its East Coast rail franchise.

"I can't comment on the figures that are being bandied about. Those are purely speculative," Adonis told BBC radio.

"If I had agreed to them being able to walk away from this franchise....then other operators who are also facing premium payments both now and in the future would quite rightly have asked for similar deals," he added. (Editing by Simon Jessop)