Government delays signing off on West Coast Mainline contract

THE transfer of the important West Coast Main Line rail franchise to FirstGroup has been suspended following the decision by current operator Virgin Rail to challenge the decision in the courts.

The move by Sir Richard Branson’s company has prompted Transport Secretary Justine Greening to delay signing off the deal.

Virgin mounted the challenge because it believes the FirstGroup bid is unsustainable and wants the process leading up to the decision reviewed.

The situation is further mired because MPs are urging a Commons debate on the matter, claiming that the contract award is too significant to commuters to be awarded without it first undergoing full scrutiny.

However, this may not take place after the Speaker John Bercow rejected the debate.
More than 165,000 people have also signed an online petition calling for the review to ensure that passengers get a fair deal.

FirstGroup, which outbid Virgin and other operators to land the contract, claims it won the process fair and square and that no one had lodged any objections to the matter during the tender process.

It said it had every confidence in the Department for Transport’s process.

Its plans for the WCML include faster journeys, new trains, more seats and more direct services from London than currently on offer, including a service from Shrewsbury to the capital from 2016. It said there would also be improved WiFi, better catering, refurbished stations and an average 15% reduction on Standard Anytime Fares within the first two years.

FirstGroup is due to take over the contract in December.