But if the contracts aren't awarded, the existing franchisees remain in place, and there will be no or very little development until some time after a new system has been set up. No-one yet knows what that new system might be, or what priority within it would be given to improvements to services in the South Eastern and East Midlands areas, or how the money for improvements will be raised. I think if I regularly used either of those services I'd rather see the future arrangements settled for the next seven years or so, rather than further extensions of the present ones.