Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 35463326)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19264614







Let's hope that FirstGroup can deliver.Rail transport certainly needs improvement.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35463328)

Faster, more numerous, increased capacity and £1 billion more with tickets costing 15% less? All from First Group who are one of the more frequently complained about providers....

Not holding my breath.

Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 35463330)

I was trying not to prejudge..but then I don't use the West Coast train line so I cannot say how bad or good it is with Virgin.;)

Originally Posted by heero_yuy (Post 35463341)

That's what my mother reckoned when she travelled to and fro to Penzance from here in Worthing. She said the Virgin Trains were much cleaner and nicer than the First Western ones.

Paying more money to the government to secure the franchise robs it of investment.

Originally Posted by Rob (Post 35463364)

Virgin Trains, with it's Pendolino stock is at the forefront of mainline services. Of course they have been able to take advantage of the upgrades and investment in the west coast line to introduce that stock. I'd also suspect that there were incentives in the franchise to develop the Pendolino trains.

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu (Post 35463368)

Sadly, l find this ending up in court as Sir Richard has already said that he will go to court over this decision.

Originally Posted by Hugh (Post 35463438)

Nodding is encouraging them to continue, not agreeing - standard interview technique.

Nice attempted slur on her impartiality with the "shareholder" comment.

Originally Posted by Julian (Post 35463453)

And all for the idiots in government to coin a few more quid. :rolleyes:

Completely the wrong decision. As previously stated first are a set of numpties.

My family and I have used Virgin quite frequently and been very pleased with their service.

Hopefully first will fall flat on their faces. Then Virgin can come back.

Originally Posted by richard1960 (Post 35463684)

Serves the government right if it all goes pear shape and gets thrown back in their face.

Originally Posted by BenMcr (Post 35463693)

Except, there is a possibility it'll be a different government that'll have to deal with the mess.

Based on Labour's current non-commitment to changing how the system works, I'm not holding out much hope, but as per usual those currently involved may not care very much.

Originally Posted by mertle (Post 35463403)

Bob Crow threatens first already.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19265985

Actually see where he coming from.

I did not like the 2 clowns in studio I thought beeb was impartial but his valid concerns going by first track record was belittled. It was almost if they was spokesperson for first let first defend themselves not 2 beeb presenters.

Look way she nods in agreement when the bloke reads first plans is she shareholder first by any chance.

I dont know who the cow and the bloke was but surely he had valid concerns.

I know bob crow bit nutter but in this case he has valid reasons about future where the train service going in the area.

Originally Posted by th'engineer (Post 35464181)

if anyone travels on virgin trains

you will appreciate the service

please sign to get gov to reconsider

https://submissions.epetitions.direc...etitions/37180

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35466902)

A letter has been written by someone on some select committee to the minister for transport asking her to delay the signing of the contract which is currently set for the 28th of August. This petition needs to reach 100,000 before then.

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35466925)

97,289. No problem getting 100k at this rate.

Originally Posted by Sirius (Post 35466936)

I don't think it will do anything however, i feel money will have passed from one to another to ensure this went in favour of First Group :mad:. any right minded person can see who would be the best company to run the West coast Mainline

Originally Posted by dave6x (Post 35466983)

Brilliant!!! Over 100,000 signatures!!!! :)

Originally Posted by Pierre (Post 35467262)

The were messages sent out to all the employees of other Virgin group companies advising them of the e-petition.

Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 35467418)

Not that it will do any good..As Parliament is not sitting there will be no debate before the contracts are signed later this week.

When they get back it will already be a done deal.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35467419)

Well hopefully it may help succeed in getting the decision to be reviewed and the contract signing postponed.

Originally Posted by dave6x (Post 35466913)

Is this going to trigger yet another U-turn for Clegg-Cameron? I hope so, but I'm not holding my breath!

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu (Post 35463463)

www.themirror.co.uk Todays edition, It may be a Labour paper, but it has clearly stated on the front page.

If you read that then you will clearly see what Bob Crow is talking about, The new company can invest, but in what everything is already in the pipeline, Bob Crow is defending his members, all new companies come in and streamline and get rid of any dead wood.

The catering on the trains is to be cut, l can remember last time l went to Glasgo, there was no buffet car due to a shortage of staff, and this precisely what will happen now, cut back in staff etc.

What we need is a train service that you can rely on, stations that are well protected when the trains are running.

I think from what l have heard is that the new company will come in and just carry as usual but will make severe cutbacks to make more money and still increase prices.

Originally Posted by Telly_ (Post 35467426)

Any chance that just once you could link to the actual story?

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35468078)

Oh well. If First Group suddenly don't manage to provide their promises, if they start scaling back their ambitions in the next few months, prices don't go down, trains are quite as dependable or the extra £1 billion doesn't arrive then we'll start a new petition demanding Justine Greening's resignation.

Originally Posted by Sirius (Post 35468074)

So the Government are going to ignore the petition site and push ahead with the signing, why have a set target to reach on the petition site if the Government are just going to ignore it anyway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19395621

Originally Posted by Mick (Post 35468163)

I've used both Virgin Trains and FirstGroup and personally, I wouldn't let FirstGroup run my own Train set.

Originally Posted by Mick (Post 35468163)

I've used both Virgin Trains and FirstGroup and personally, I wouldn't let FirstGroup run my own Train set.

Originally Posted by denphone (Post 35468165)

Seconded as l have used both throughout the years and the FirstGroup service has been shocking at times while when we had the Virgin franchise down here our family was always very impressed with their service and then the franchise came up for renewal and they made exactly the same mistake as what has happened to the West Coast franchise and handed it to someone else.

Originally Posted by Sky News

The decision to award the West Coast Main Line franchise to FirstGroup has been cancelled due to flaws in the way the process was conducted.

The decision was announced by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

It means the Department for Transport (DfT) will no longer be awarding a franchise contract to run the West Coast service when the current franchise expires in December.

FirstGroup was due to take over the running of the London to Scotland line after being awarded the contract by the DfT in August, but Virgin Rail, which currently runs the service, launched a High Court challenge against the decision.

The DfT said it would be no longer contesting the judicial review sought by Sir Richard Branson's company.

Mr McLoughlin has also ordered two independent reviews into the competition process.

The flaws uncovered by the DfT relate to the way the procurement was conducted by department officials, it said.

It said the flaws stemmed from the way the level of risk in the bids was evaluated.

Originally Posted by Sir Richard Branson

"I took a call this evening in New York from the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, telling me that he will no longer be awarding the West Coast Main Line franchise to FirstGroup.

From the moment we found out that FirstGroup had been made the preferred bidder with a completely unrealistic bid, we questioned the way the offers had been assessed, and asked Government to review and explain how it came to its decision.

We were convinced the process was flawed but despite our best efforts we were met with silence by the Department for Transport. We also asked for government to appoint an independent advisor to look at the situation, which was turned down. Reluctantly we were forced to seek a judicial review. Tomorrow the DfT were meant to have given their evidence to the court.

I am pleased to say that the DfT has looked at all of the facts and found significant flaws in the way its officials handled the process. They have basically acknowledged that what we had been saying is correct. The same procedures were not followed and 'deeply regrettable and completely unacceptable mistakes' were made by the Department.'

At the House of Commons Select Committee we called for all franchise competitions to be paused and a thorough, independent review of the process. We are grateful that Patrick McLoughlin is now doing this.

We also appreciate the DfT publicly acknowledging these errors, and are hopeful they will now accept that Virgin Trains should carry on running the West Coast Main Line and ensure that passengers continue receiving our team's award-winning service.

Finally, I would like to thank our staff for their incredible work through unsettling times and to all our passengers who have been so supportive. I would particularly like to thank those who signed Ross McKillop's e-petition that resulted in the House of Commons debate, and all those who believed that we were right in thinking there was a case to answer."

Originally Posted by Ravenheart (Post 35480559)

well that's a positive start to the morning :)

Originally Posted by Sirius (Post 35470430)

I would say this Government has grown a pair but they have not, in the end they had no legal choice other than to agree a review.

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy (Post 35480564)

If First made a stupid bid that's no ones business but their own.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35480583)

The Government has said it will be run by the state until a new process is completed but the same trains and staff will be used? How is that possible? Why not take Virgin up on the offer to run it in the interim as a non-profit (I guess that gives them a unfair advantage when it comes to bidding).

Originally Posted by Osem (Post 35480619)

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

The knives are out.

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

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35480566)

Actually it's not. The Government's responsibility is to see that the franchise is handed to a company that can fulfil it, not hand it to a reckless bidder and then sit back and wait to collect the fines.

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy (Post 35480684)

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.

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35480690)

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.

Originally Posted by Derek (Post 35480603)

So if I'm reading this right the conservatives have basically (temporarily) re-nationalised a chunk of the railway system? :shocked:

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 35480740)

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.

Originally Posted by Julian (Post 35480754)

THIS is their bus service. :rolleyes:

Fortunately they won't get near WCML. :)

Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 35480773)

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

Originally Posted by Osem (Post 35480619)

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

The knives are out.

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

Originally Posted by Sirius (Post 35480659)

Please not the mod :shocked:

Originally Posted by Stephen (Post 35481154)

Sitting in 1st class on a Virgin Train right now I hope the government let VT keep running the WCML after the 9th December or at least until they have come to a decision.

Originally Posted by denphone (Post 35485102)

Virgin in talks on West Coast route contract extension

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19944782



Excellent news.:tu: