If we're going to go through all that effort, we may as well put that effort into nationalisation. Then we need to reform the DafT.
... and, if DfT's recent track record is anything to go by, the taxpayer...
Except Abelio UK or whatever it is called will be a limited company which can't lose more than its bond commitments and most likely each franchise is operated by a separate limited company. Previous defaults have shown that you can't go after parent companies if your contract is with the subsidiary..
Seeing Grayling quizzed by a good QC would be bloody good entertainment! Certainly he won't get away with the usual politicians trick of dodging the question.. I may try to get to that...
), but surely this action threatening delay is only going to hurt passengers?
You obviously ignored the final little bit on the end there, either accidentally or wilfully.
Basically because public bodies have a duty to act fairly and reasonably and can be held to account if they don't. DfT have a serious and growing track record of being found guilty of failing to do so.Not sure why people aren't too angry with Stagecoach with this.
I appreciate a lot of people like them as a company and I accept people seem to like their toy-town-like colours (not sure why
Stagecoach knew the franchise system was broken and they took a risk sticking a bid in.
Then cry when it didn't go their way?
Because if the government have to end up paying money - that's our tax money.
Read something else yesterday where a company didn't win something so are suing (possibly 5G rollout?).
Seems to be the new thing. Don't win = law suit.
Maybe football should start with this stuff too!
The legal action might continue, but it will have to be for damages, as their injunction did not succeed. Abellio will be taking over the Franchise. I guess Stagecoach could appeal...
It won't stop them pocketing the compo though..
Stagecoach may be suffering from hubris; from what I hear they are pricing themselves out of winning anything. They won't pass the VfM test and so DfT would use OLR instead. OFC if DfT feel they are going to lose litigation, anything is possible. Grayling certainly has form.
I don't see how it in itself is unfair. It just means they will need to bid for a higher subsidy /lower franchise premiums to cover the possible risk that this could possibly cause
Well... we are doing.
They have won rather a lot in the past, both from exploiting contractual shortfalls and from a neverending franchise; I wouldn't feel too sorry for Brian and Ann.
The NHS doesn't act fairly.
I haven't seen any sort of overview of what [Stagecoach] proposed.
The NHS isn't a single organisation though. Each individual NHS body has to act fairly, but since fair is largely subjective, and needs vary from place to place, the current system is always going to have different policies in different areas. The railways are the same: what's fair in south-east England commuter land could easily be totally unfair in the rural Highlands of Scotland.
Yes, lengthly direct awards that will do nothing to improve things for passengers.
There's no reason why a direct award shouldn't include improvementsYes, lengthly direct awards that will do nothing to improve things for passengers.
Good approach
