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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Jon Stone

Government signs off £65m payout for owners of failing Avanti and TransPennine rail franchises

Avanti TPE TransPennine Express FirstGroup The Department for Transport RMT
Getty

The government authorised the owner of failing rail franchises Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express to pay itself a £65m dividend last year, accounts show.

The revelation comes amid calls for FirstGroup to be stripped of running the two railways because of its catastrophic performance.

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