MPs debate West Coast mainline decision

VIRGIN Rail’s attempts to overturn the West Coast Mainline rail franchise decision have led to a parliamentary debate on the matter.

Sir Richard Branson’s firm – which currently operates the rail route linking London, Birmingham and Manchester – put in a legal challenge following the Government decision to award the contract to rival FirstGroup.

The award of the West Coast contract has been halted pending the legal challenge.

FirstGroup won the 15-year contract after making the highest bid but Virgin claims the contract process was faulty and launched a judicial review to try to invalidate the decision.

But transport minister Stephen Hammond said the Government was “confident it had taken the right decision”.

He added: “The Department for Transport believes the winning bid is deliverable, provides value for money for the passenger and taxpayer and capitalises on the £9bn investment already being made on the West Coast mainline.”

FirstGroup has rejected claims its £5.2bn bid is not financially viable. During the parliamentary debate – triggered by an e-petition urging the Gov-ernment to re-think its decision – one MP compared some train companies to latter-day “Dick Turpins”.

Rosie Cooper, Labour MP for West Lancashire, said some firms had won contracts on a “bogus premise” and then “taken their profits and scarpered”.

But Iain Stewart, a Conservative member of the Commons transport select committee, said the bid process was “rigorous” and he believed First Group’s ambitions were “genuine”.

He said: “I don’t believe First Group would be making this bid if it did not believe it could deliver on it.”