Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
This was to be expected after the GNER fiasco over the ECML. They bid too much, won the franchise and failed to deliver the receipts which wasn't later helped by GNER's parent, Sea Containers, failing. The same happened again over the ECML with National Express (or should I say Nationalised Express) who probably bit off more than they can chew.
As soon as the First Group placed their bid I considered it too high and even if it was successful could not see them delivering the promised services, given the West Coast line is already running at capacity, and the financial returns. As we know they already control Scotrail and First Great Western. Currently all financial eyes are on the FGW franchise which is due in the next few years and as commuters will testify, these services have deteriorated.
The franchising of the rail network has been a sorry affair since day one with the bidders and governments seeing it as a licence to print money, which we have previously seen with bus deregulation. Governments just fail to comprehend rail transport is a public service.
As I see it the UK railways will end up being run by a handful of companies; First Group, Stagecoach and a couple of European rail companies; DB, SNCF and NS.
As soon as the First Group placed their bid I considered it too high and even if it was successful could not see them delivering the promised services, given the West Coast line is already running at capacity, and the financial returns. As we know they already control Scotrail and First Great Western. Currently all financial eyes are on the FGW franchise which is due in the next few years and as commuters will testify, these services have deteriorated.
The franchising of the rail network has been a sorry affair since day one with the bidders and governments seeing it as a licence to print money, which we have previously seen with bus deregulation. Governments just fail to comprehend rail transport is a public service.
As I see it the UK railways will end up being run by a handful of companies; First Group, Stagecoach and a couple of European rail companies; DB, SNCF and NS.