West Coast Franchise "Shambles"

Holyrood's Transport Minister will make a statement on the ``shambolic'' cancellation of the West Coast main line rail franchise today.

Keith Brown is expected to outline his concerns about the handling of the UK Government u-turn which has cost taxpayers #40 million.

The UK Department for Transport announced yesterday that the franchise cancellation is wholly and squarely a Whitehall fault. 

Aberdeen-based transport firm FirstGroup was to take over the franchise from Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Rail which runs services linking Glasgow and Edinburgh with London.