FirstGroup win InterCity West Coast Franchise

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

If Virgin get theirn signatures and manage to change DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)'s mind.  Do you think First will just sit back and do nothing.  They were told they had won. If DfT changes their mind they are going to have to have some mighty good reason or First will have no trouble geting it reinstated on a judicial review.

[Timmer]

Unless someone can prove that there has been some naughty dealing going on or Daft have not followed correct procedure in awarding the franchise to First, Virgin could get 100 million signatures and it won't make any difference.

The more this goes on the more it looks like sour grapes from Virgin, not Stagecoach I hasten to add, and Branson needs to put up or shut up.

For what it's worth, my opinion is that come December it will be First running the West Coast and not Virgin Trains and it won't be the end of the world.

[broadgage]

Yes, collecting the required number of signatures means that the matter must be debated in parliament.

It does not mean that the decision about the franchise will be reversed, though many seem to be expecting this outcome.

Given a large enough publicity budget I could probably collect 100, 000 signatures demanding that beer be made cheaper.
The matter would presumably be debated, but I doubt that beer would get cheaper as a result.

[EBrown]

According to a source, Virgin staff are giving out leaflets at stations and sending out emails telling people to sign.

The only email I have received is:

The Department for Transport has announced that FirstGroup will be running the West Coast franchise from 9 December. We've loved zipping you around and are so disappointed that this chapter in our journey is almost over. Thank you for making the last 15 years so amazing.

There's no better time to take a trip down memory lane and look at some of our highlights that have revolutionised UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rail travel. It's still business as usual until December and we look forward to welcoming you onboard before then.

Read Sir Richard Branson's response.

Virgin Trains

They have put the message about saving VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchises) on CIS^▸ (Customer Information System)'.

[bobm]

Given a large enough publicity budget I could probably collect 100, 000 signatures demanding that beer be made cheaper.
The matter would presumably be debated, but I doubt that beer would get cheaper as a result.

But then I would sign that petition.   

[Rhydgaled]

50 reasons to sign a petition for Virgin to keep the franchise.
http://www.virgin.com/travel/news/50-reasons-to-sign-the-virgin-trains-e-petition

Scraping the barrel by about reason 2 I think...

I agree, most of those reasons are naff. However, I have my own reason for considering signing, perhaps it is covered by their Option 9 but they haven't put it how I would:

They (apparently) would replace all the class 221s (drink alot of diesel so would produce alot of CO2) with EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) (hauled by diesel-locos beyond the wires), and in doing so would hopefully show the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) how DaFT^» (Department for Transport - critical sounding abbreviation I discourage - about) their IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) bi-mode is.

Is that enough of a reason to sign?

[EBrown]

My issue is that Virgin are branding themselves as customer-centric.

I ask anyone why a customer-centric organisation takes *1 month* to respond to correspondence and only responds to less than 15% in that time. :|

[paul7575]

Yes, collecting the required number of signatures means that the matter must be debated in parliament.

Not necessarily guaranteed at all.  http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ 

It reads "...and if it gets at least 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in the House of Commons." (My emphasis.)

The government wouldn't necessarily be bound by such a debate anyway.

Seems to me all this Virgin orchestrated ranting against the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) is almost guaranteed to ensure Virgin are permanently excluded. 

Paul

[Phil]

I only hope the losers don't retaliate by bidding for the West Country franchise when it becomes available.


Vandals would have a field day armed with a roll of masking tape and signs that read VIRGIN WEST COUNTRY

[Andy W]

Yes, collecting the required number of signatures means that the matter must be debated in parliament.

Not necessarily guaranteed at all.  http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ 

It reads "...and if it gets at least 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in the House of Commons." (My emphasis.)

The government wouldn't necessarily be bound by such a debate anyway.

Seems to me all this Virgin orchestrated ranting against the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) is almost guaranteed to ensure Virgin are permanently excluded. 

Paul

Yes, I completely agree, firstly any debate in the commons is not guaranteed and even if it is there is nothing parliament can realistically achieve as it's a done deal.

That being said I do think the DfT need to fully explain their decision and for that matter how the current Great Western contract was drawn up to allow so little of the franchise fee to be paid.

Surely the best place for this to be reviewed is the Transport Select Committee (very sadly now for some years without Gwyneth Dunwoody).

Finally, Paul, I really can't see Virgin bidding again, so alienating Whitehall is probably irrelevent. The fact that Virgin is starting more frequent flights Manchester / Glasgow - London (could he take a pop at Exeter / Plymouth?) shows his commitment to railways has dwindled.

Love Virgin or loathe them I think the industry in general will be the poorer for their absence.





[/quote]

[Btline]

An extra 2500 names added over the last HOUR.
Now over 80k. 100k will be reached in 24hrs at this rate.

I'm not going to post a link, as I don't want this image to spread any further than it has already, but has anyone see the shocking poster that someone has created to campaign for Virgin? It uses the horrifying image of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Theale crash in 2004.
What a shame such a sick thing has been created in this debate. Also a shame that once in cyber space...

On a light note, someone called Trailer Second has written a poem about VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchises) online:

This is the Voyager crossing the Border
Standing room only, unless you pre order
Seating for the rich, corridors for the poor
The shop has sold out, the buffet no more
Revving up Beattock, claiming to be green

The wires above her, no pan to be seen
Birds turn their heads, as she approaches
Stare from the bushes, at her paltry 5 coaches

Cars in the fast lane can^t keep pace
Have comfortable seats and a lot more grace
Thro^ heather and weather but not fallen leaves
With approval ratings that no-one believes
Shoveling carbon over her shoulder
Nox, particulates, benzene, sulphur
Her weight fatigues the railway line
She^s ten minutes late but that^s on time

In the farm she passes no one wakes
All long gone to euro milk lakes
Dawn freshens but the toilet^s full
Snarling toward the urban sprawl
Scotland, independent nation
Soon an end to this vibration
Past rough estates and fast food chains
Dodging the stones from those with no brains

Call centres, offices, low cost homes
Tattooed teenagers with tweeting phones
Once steel and coal and engineering
Graffiti, flats and multi screening
Trainspotting here is not what it seems
But fuels the crime to pay for dreams
In the dark glens beside pale green sea lochs
Men read their e-mails

Obviously, not based on Night Mail!

[Chris from Nailsea]

From CampaignLive:

FirstGroup calls ^7m West Coast Mainline ad pitch

FirstGroup, the transport company that is set to replace Virgin Trains as the operator of the West Coast Mainline, is looking for an advertising agency to handle its estimated ^7 million account.


FirstGroup: seeking an agency to help establish the new West Coast Mainline brand

The company won the contract to operate the line last week after bidding ^13.3 billion cash against Virgin Trains^11 billion. It is due to run the service from December until the end of 2028 after promising to attract millions more customers to use the service.

The operator has approached agencies directly about the brief and the winning shop is expected to play an integral role in establishing the FirstGroup brand and attracting new customers.

Elvis was responsible for creating Virgin Trains^ advertising. Its recent campaigns include "don^t go zombie".

It is unclear whether the brief covers advertising for FirstGroup^s other rail franchises, which include First Great Western and First Capital Connect. Agencies that work for the company include The Leith Agency, 20:20 and Dig for Fire.

The decision by the Government to hand the contract to FirstGroup angered Sir Richard Branson, whose Virgin Trains operation has held the franchise for 15 years. He has called for an apology from the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and may demand a judicial review of the decision.

The West Coast Mainline is used by 31 million passengers between London, the Midlands, North Wales and Central Scotland each year.

Separately, Branson^s Virgin Atlantic has announced that it is planning to launch its first domestic service, flying passengers between London and Manchester.

[devon_metro]

Why are people signing petitions? First plan to lower Anytime fares, surely that is a step in the right direction, I was under the impression that 'walk up' travel on the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) was pretty extortionate!

[Btline]

Why are people signing petitions? First plan to lower Anytime fares, surely that is a step in the right direction, I was under the impression that 'walk up' travel on the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) was pretty extortionate!

Exactly. People are campaigning AGAINST a fare decrease.

BREAKING NEWS: The signing of the contract is to be delayed! Is this the start of a U- turn?

[paul7575]

BREAKING NEWS: The signing of the contract is to be delayed! Is this the start of a U- turn?

Says who?

Please quote a reliable source. 

A letter from the Transport Select Commitee asking for a delay is not the same as you are implying.  It is just as likely that the Government will tell them to get lost.

Paul