SPECULATION is mounting the West Coast Main Line rail franchise will be awarded to Aberdeen-based FirstGroup as early as next week, although the Department for Transport claimed last night that no final decision has been made.
FirstGroup is thought to have put in a bid of between £6.5 billion to £7bn for the 14-year franchise, understood to be as much as 20% more than Stagecoach-backed incumbent Virgin Rail offered for the London to Glasgow service.
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