Three British franchises awarded.(News)

FIRST Group has won the Greater Western and Thameslink/GN passenger franchises, in a deal which will see the company pay almost 2 billion [pounds sterling] in total premiums to the government. Govia, a joint venture of Go-Ahead Group, Britain, and Keolis, France, has won an eight-year franchise to operate the Integrated Kent commuter services in southeast England.

More than 200 million [pounds sterling] investment is promised on Greater Western, which merges the separate First Great Western, Wessex Trains, and First Great Western Link franchises. The 200km/h diesel hig