Friday, 7 October 2011

Secret of Albino's 'winning' GA bid explained!

Much chitter-chatter in the industry over who might have won the Greater Anglia franchise.

Despite the announcement not being due for another two weeks The Grauniad felt confident enough on Tuesday to predict:

Continental Europe's grip on the UK rail industry is likely to extend to the Greater Anglia rail franchise after the Dutch national rail operator emerged as the frontrunner for one of the routes connecting to the 2012 Olympics.

Good news indeed for Abellio!

However, Eye has been struggling to understand how the DfT, normally so careful about water-tight franchise bid processes, had allowed market sensitive information to apparently seep out from Marsham Street.

Happily, Eye can exclusively reveal that this was not the case!

As became clear today via the
BBC...

Dutch National Railways is introducing emergency plastic bags for passengers to urinate in as part of its first-aid provision on some commuter trains.

Spokesman Jeroen von Geusau told the BBC "When you have to wait three or four hours on a train, then it is quite logical you have some people aboard who need to go to a restroom," he said.

Given recent performance on the Anglia Route only a sadist would think of awarding the franchise to another bidder.