The announcement by Patrick McLoughlin, the secretary of state for transport, that the West Coast franchising process had been found to be flawed will have sent shock waves through Britain's rail sector and his department. In a dramatically open and forthright statement, he announced the suspension of not only the West Coast franchise competition 1. which covers train operations from Euston to the north wrest and Scotland 2. but the whole of the rail franchising programme and a number of his officials.
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