Good to see that the Department for Transport remains at the very top of its game!
Eye understands that late last night Marsham Street was desperate to speak to Tim O'Toole.
So naturally they rang London Underground to
try to get hold of him...
Great Minster House - all change please ladies and gentlemen. All change!
This from the Department for Transport...
Department for Transport to negotiate with Virgin on temporary operation of West Coast rail services
The Department for Transport will negotiate with Virgin Rail Group for them to continue providing rail services on the West Coast Main Line for a temporary period.
The current franchise is due to expire on 9 December after which it is the government’s intention that Virgin remain as operator for a short period – expected to be between 9 and 13 months – while a competition is run for an interim franchise agreement. This interim agreement, which would be open to any bidders, will then run until the new long term West Coast franchise is ready to commence.
The government believes that this is the best way to ensure services are maintained and that there is no impact on passengers.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said:
“The cancellation of the InterCity West Coast franchise is deeply regrettable and I apologise to the bidders involved and the taxpayer who have a right to expect better.
“My priority now is to fix the problem and the first step is to take urgent action to ensure that on the 9 December services continue to run to the same standard and passengers are not affected.
“I believe Virgin remaining as operator for a short period of time is the best way to do this and my officials and I will be working flat out to make this happen.”
On 3 October the previous competition to run trains on this line was cancelled following the discovery of significant technical flaws in the way the franchise process was conducted.
The department also paused the on-going franchise programme including live competitions on Essex Thameside, Great Western and Thameslink and set up two independent reviews into what went wrong with the West Coast competition and the wider DfT rail franchise programme.
Notes to editors
This with a bowler tip to @EliotAnderson...
Not strictly a railway garden, the Charing Cross hotel having been sold off many years ago.
None the less, too good to leave out of this year's competition.
Another in an
occasional series designed to assist Patrick McLoughlin and Richard Brown determine the way forward for contracted passenger services
Inviting the onetime Director General of the Railway Forum and a former Master of the Worshipful Company of Drapers to support Richard Brown's review would be welcomed by many on the railway and in the City.
Adrian Lyons, was last seen here.
That is all.
UPDATE: This from Sidney Sneak!...
Nonsense!
Wasn't the Fact Compiler most recently seen with General Lyons at the Midland Hotel, in Derby, last Thursday night?
The Fact Compiler, respectfully, pleads the Fifth...
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