Virgin runs West Coast line for now

Oct 15 2012

Rail operator Virgin has been asked to continue running the troubled West Coast Main Line for another few months, the Government has said.

The temporary fix has been proposed by the Department for Transport after its embarrassing U-turn over the award of a new franchise earlier this month.

Virgin's current franchise is due to end on December 9 but talks are under way about it remaining as operator for between nine and 13 months while a competition is run for an interim franchise agreement.