Fascinating, particularly with the Williams-Shapps Reforms coming.
This fits in very well with the Williams - Shapps review, especially as
GWR▸ (First) have performed quite well, in comparison to soemToCs. There will be other ToC's that get direct awards some might not get 6 years though.
Not forget GBRailways is not going to be a British Railways, at least initially.
GBR▸ will need time to establish the new model of working so the key will be stability with progressive evolutionary change and not radical revolutionary change.
GBR is not a legal entity yet, that needs time in Parliamentary to amend / change the Railways Act 1993 and 2005 Act and possibly Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003. Hence
DfT» can only extend by direct award