re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

It must be contagious:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...ranchise.html#

;)

re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

What a complete and utter botch up..When will they get public transport right?It doesn't matter who is in power they still make a cow pat of it.:(

re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19809717

The knives are out.

I dare say those found culpable will be moved to the MOD...

re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

Please not the mod :shocked:

Re: Virgin Trains loses West Coast Mainline franchise (Update)
 

Just like they have done with the NHS and PCP then :rolleyes:

I wasn't suggesting they award a contract and collect the fines. I was merely suggesting that the government should be satisfied the contract can be delivered for the price but impose a fine structure that would benefit the government should the contact fail rather than letting the contractor walk away.

re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

Why did the Government wait until the night before the day the court case was due to start? Were they hoping Virgin would pull out? Or did they simply only check now, 1 month and a half after Virgin raged about the process? Maybe the former transport security was demoted because they knew this was coming?

Re: Virgin Trains loses West Coast Mainline franchise (Update)
 

They certainly should, and hopefully the penalty structure will be addressed by the relevant independent review, which was announced earlier this morning.

Also, I see that almost as quickly as the Government suggested it was going to nationalise the WCML a la East Coast, it has now decided to give The Bearded One his greatest wish - an extension to his existing franchise while this is worked out.

That, to me, is the best solution, as the £40 million the government is already having to pay out to reimburse the franchise bidders for their trouble will not now be compounded by a lot of unnecessary debranding/rebranding costs.

Re: Virgin Trains loses West Coast Mainline franchise (Update)
 

As happens every time these people decide to give the impression of reform by renaming/rebranding govt. departments with same civil servants doing pretty much the same jobs in the same offices.

Re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

Its already nationalised, it costs three times more in subsidies nationally now than it did under br

Glad the worst group didn't get it, you only have to look at the promised they made to get the buses and see what the service is like now to know they're full of it.

Re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

THIS is their bus service. :rolleyes:

Fortunately they won't get near WCML. :)

Re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

Even the police said they could not say what caused the incident..

Really? 'Cos I'm pretty certain I could have a stab at what happened..:rolleyes:

And I hate First buses..they are the ones who have decided my borough only gets a last bus at 7pm.

Re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

Those pesky bridges lowering themselves at the last minute to catch out drivers again.

Re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

MOD procurement has been working like that for years ,it's expected from them ;).


Just a thought ,but does the ECML need to be franchised out ,couldn't the government simply allow VT to run the line indefinitely with regular government reviews to make sure that it is running as it should and only offer the franchise out to bids if the service drops below a predetermined level .

Another thought ,wasn't there some argy bargy about the contract for new rolling stock given to a foreign company ?

Over the last 3 weeks i have seen approximately 30 brand spanking new First buses heading up the A1 towards Doncaster and Wetherby ,can i assume they will now be heading back south and returned for a refund :)

Re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

From what I've heard it seems that some fairly basic and fundamental errors were made in the numbers these guys were crunching. If so and given the huge cost to the public purse, are those responsible going to be sacked or just suspended on full pay then moved sideways?

You have to wonder how long these people were in their roles what other mistakes they might have made along the way for similar reasons. There really needs to be an investigation into this matter to examine the true extent of the ineptitude that's now evident both in what was done and the checking procedures which should have picked up these mistakes.

Re: [Update] FirstGroup WCML franchise Award revoked
 

£40 million, well spent.