Virgin Rail to run West Coast train line in the short-term The Transport Secretary said: "The cancellation of the InterCity West Coast franchise is deeply regrettable and I apologise to the bidders involved and the taxpayer who have a right to expect better. My priority now is to fix the problem and the first step is to take urgent action to ensure that on the 9 December services continue to run to the same standard and passengers are not affected. I believe Virgin remaining as operator for a short period of time is the best way to do this and my officials and I will be working flat out to make this happen. Virgin has been pushing for an 18 to 24-month extension, but the DfT has opted to offer a short-term contract before handing over to the DOR, which would operate the franchise until it is re-let. The DfT has asked recruiters to "test the market" and see if a senior management team could be hired quickly enough to run the West Coast line on behalf of the DOR from December 9, but industry experts were said to believe there is no longer enough time to transfer all of the contracts to the state-owned operator. The short-term contract could help defuse the threat of legal action. Lawyers had warned the DfT it could be in breach of European competition or procurement law if it hands Virgin a new 18 to 24-month contract.