The  West Coast Main Line franchise fiasco is likely to cost taxpayers at least  £50m , the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has warned (BBC News today).

“It will also have effects in Preston” says County Cllr Bill Winlow, “because all plans to refurbish Preston station and to improve links with bus services are now on hold.  All these changes should have been integrated with the Fishergate upgrade rather than having to wait while the Department for Transport sorts out the mess that it alone has caused us.  When everything is added together here and elsewhere, the final cost will be far more than £50m.”