Railways: Franchises Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Railways: Franchises

Baroness O'Cathain Excerpts
Wednesday 10th October 2012

(12 years, 1 month ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, the noble Lord is one of the first to worry about the passengers. I take this opportunity to reassure all noble Lords and passengers that the service on the west coast main line will continue after 9 December.

Baroness O'Cathain Portrait Baroness O'Cathain
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My Lords, in view of the fact that it has been stated that the franchise system is broken and that track and train should never have been divided, the reality is—I would like confirmation of this—that, because of the European Union, we had no option but to divide train and track.

Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, I would not like to deny that what my noble friend has said is true.