First West Coast

[First Class]

RE: First West Coast
Fortunately the DfT have seen sense and ignored the petition.

"Transport Secretary Justine Greening says there will be no delay in signing a new West Coast Main Line contract, despite pressure to review it."

As the saying goes, you can't judge a book by it's cover. If after the first year, the franchise goes downhill then the petitioners are ultimately proved right.

Putting things into context, only 0.2% of the GB population signed the petition, it is hardly significant in the grand scheme of things. I'd wager that about 97% upwards couldn't care less who runs the franchise.

[wirralbus]

RE: First West Coast
Virgin Trains has said it has started court proceedings over the government's decision to award a new franchise to transport company FirstGroup.

Virgin had run the franchise since 1997, but lost to FirstGroup, prompting it to demand a review of the process.

Labour had also urged the government to delay the signing of the contract so that MPs could examine it.

But earlier Transport Secretary Justine Greening said there would be no delay in signing the FirstGroup deal.

[H101GEV (Administrator)]

RE: First West Coast
As a result of the legal action, we're still in live play regarding the franchise decision:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19467510

The e-petition has 168,000 signatures now, the third most signed of all-time. The farce has certainly interested the public, and rightly so.

[First Class]

RE: First West Coast
I'm not so sure the DfT think so

So long as RB isn't the Judge, this case ain't gonna go anywhere, (except a rather large costs order in favour of the DfT!)

1) The Speaker of the House of Commons has just refused MP Tim Farron's request for an Emergency Debate in the House of Commons on the subject of the West Coast franchise.

2) FirstGroup told to ignore Branson's campaign for a review

Quote:Firstgroup, which has won the disputed West Coast main line rail franchise, has been told by the Government to go ahead with its plans to run the service from December 9th.

(Source Daily Mail)

3) A judge hasn't even decided whether he will even hear the case!

[H101GEV (Administrator)]

RE: First West Coast

(03/09/2012 20:36)First Class Wrote:  I'm not so sure the DfT think so

BBC News Wrote:In a written ministerial statement transport minister Theresa Villiers said: "As a result of a legal challenge, which the government intends to defend robustly, we have not yet signed the contract with First West Coast, and consequently the competition remains live."

Whatever happens, the signing of the contract which was allegedly a dead cert to happen at the end of August, did not. As for not judging a book by its cover, if we wait a year and FirstGroup royally screw up as the majority expect, then a great deal of irreversible damage will have been caused. Hardly a good way to view things.

[mbonwick]

RE: First West Coast
Not sure if this has sort of been answered, but here's my take on things;

The DfT cannot legally sign any sort of contract with First once a Judicial Review has been mounted. Only once said review has been either rejected or concluded can they sign.
They are however allowed to informally tell First to carry on with administrative tasks so that the handover can take place as intended.

I'd also guess that the refusal to grant an emergency debate is because the Select Committies will be examining the deal soon, and because the petition has already gone to the Backbench Business Committee for potential timetabling. If it doesn't get time and Tim Farron asks again once the Select Committies have questioned people, then I bet it will get debated. Either way there is no way it can just be 'swept under the carpet'

Quote from WNXX forum on some details of Virgin's challenge;

Quote:There are three possible grounds on which to request a judicial review for such a contract. Only one is needed to lodge the complaint. Virgin's lawyer is lodging complaints on all three grounds. Read the ITT, read the DfTs procedures, then look at the scores awarded and draw your own conclusions. The Guardian is reporting that this will very likely throw all future franchise timetables out of the window. This will not be as straightforward as some think.

The grounds are;

Illegality

Irrationality

Procedural Impropriety


The Select Committee is also sitting in a few days and Tim O'Toole, Justine Greening (if She is still in the job) Richard Branson, and one would hope some DFT civil servants will be called as witnesses. Branson has already confirmed he will be flying back to give his evidence. Allegedly including reams of minutes from various meetings over the last 2-3 years with ministers and DFT officials.

We are in very interesting times.

[wirralbus]

RE: First West Coast
BREAKING NEWS:
Government cancels decision to award franchise for West Coast Main Line to FirstGroup

[J654UHN]

RE: First West Coast
West Coast Main Line deal ditched

The bidding process for the West Coast Main Line rail franchise is to be re-run after the government admitted getting its figures seriously wrong.

The contract to run services on the line - one of Britain's busiest - was awarded to FirstGroup in August.

That decision was challenged in the courts by Virgin Trains, which lost out.

Now civil servants have found significant mistakes in the way they calculated the risks for each bid.

[First Class]

RE: First West Coast
Sort of links in with the First Group speculation thread. Very, very dangerous territory for First.

The irony is that come December, it won't be Virgin running the show, but Directly Operated Railways t/a West Coast...

Bad news for franchising in general though- every time a franchise is announced, the losing operators will just start issuing legal proceedings costing millions.

Anyway, £millions will need to be refunded to ALL of the bidders to cover their expenses, especially First.

Looks like anyone could win now. No doubt Arriva will have another crack.

[St Helens Rider]

RE: First West Coast
Just makes the Unions arguement about renationalistion more stronger.