Manchester's tram network is set to be taken over by RATP a French-government owned firm in a secret deal.
Stagecoach, which has run
the Metrolink system since 2007, are to pull the plug despite having six
years left to run on their contract.
Latest accounts show Stagecoach Metrolink
made a pre-tax profit of £4.1m in the last financial year on a
turnover of £27m.
OK Brace yourselves folks. There's some bad news acoming from somewhere. What do Stagecoach know that TfGM don't? What is coming that would cause them to walk away from a £4 Million plus profit, just as we are in the middle of a huge expansion of the system? Do they know it will not work? Is there a major problem with the operating system? They have six years left to run on their contract.
We were given to understand that Stagecoach tendered for this contract. Has RATP tendered for this contract?
If not how come Stagecoach can give it away to any Tom, Dick or Jean Paul?
Who gave them the authority to give the contract to this French company? Were TfGM consulted? Are TfGM accomplices in this?
As Stagecoach have reneged on their contract are they to be allowed to keep the profits or can TfGM claw it back
to install RATP, or any other EU company?
Who is in charge TfGM or Stagecoach?
QUESTIONS ....... QUESTIONS ....... QUESTIONS
NO ANSWERS AT PRESENT!!!
An idea of the seriousness of this move can be seen in the fact that the leaders of Greater Manchester's ten local authorities were being briefed on the move in a behind-closed-doors meeting yesterday. They've never moved that fast in years.
An announcement about the handover is expected to be made on the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday. That sounds like it's going to be good news don't it?
It is still unclear why Stagecoach wants to pull out with so long left on its contract. A spokesbody for TfGM said yesterday: "Transport for Greater Manchester will not comment on speculation about one of its business partners." What! Not even if it leaves them in the doo-dah when they hand the fucking job over to a bunch of Frogs without even so much as a kiss my arse or a merci blowthrough
The 'big bang' Metrostink expansion plans should have seen the network treble in size, with extensions planned for East Didsbury, Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham, Rochdale and Manchester airport. A new line to Chorlton has already opened.
We guess that the leaders of the ten GM local authorities experienced a severe constriction of the sphincter when they attended yesterdays briefing. Note it wasn't just a meeting of TfGM, but all heads of local councils.
We can almost guarantee they didn't like what they heard. We can guarantee you ain't gonna like what's coming folks!!
This could boil down to the fact that OUR council stole our rail system in the hope of getting a financial reward from the Metrostink system and that reward is probably not going to be forthcoming! Prepare to say thank-you OMBC for another great fuck up!!
OOOoooH! smell that BULLDUST wafting in on the summer breeze!!!
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