Would a 'Yes' vote in Scotland invalidate the bids for ECML

[OLJR]

If the Scottish Independence Referendum result is 'Yes' will the bidding process for the ECML have to be re-started?

If I was a bidder I would consider that an independent Scotland may dramatically alter my willingness to pay and hence would wish to resubmit my financial proposal.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

If the Scottish Independence Referendum result is 'Yes' will the bidding process for the ECML have to be re-started?
If I was a bidder I would consider that an independent Scotland may dramatically alter my willingness to pay and hence would wish to resubmit my financial proposal.

I should think the bids will by now have been evaluated and the DfT should be closing in on the winner.
The Scottish government has no part in the process for ICEC.
The ITT, as far as I can see, makes no mention of Scottish independence or the referendum.
The SNP has stated that franchises would run to completion, so no sudden changes.
I would have thought that the bids would be heavily qualified with statements that they do not cover political risks.
If things do go pear-shaped the bidders can always withdraw if a contract has not been signed.
But it will be interesting watching the fallout, however things turn out on Thursday.
The same issues arise with the Scotrail franchise, which is in much the same state but with Transport Scotland in charge of the process.

 

[Jonny]

Apparently, a lot of departments have made no preparation for Scottish independence, at all. So, there is a high chance of DfT getting caught on the hop.

 

[NSEFAN]

Surely a "Yes" result won't mean Scotland is independent from that moment onwards, it merely indicates that the people want it to be independent. The easiest thing to do would be to let franchises run their course, then decide what to do when they come up for renewal.

 

[thenorthern]

I don't think it would change anything if Scotland votes yes simply because East Coast run very few trains in Scotland compared to the amount they run in England and even if the Scottish Government did have a say in choosing the franchise winner it would be an advisory role and the Dft would still choose the eventual winner.

 

[jon0844]

I wonder if Scotland would want to sign up to the Schengen Agreement? If it did, that would suddenly create problems - or might, finally, get us to consider signing up ourselves (along with Ireland).

 

[Jonny]

I don't think it would change anything if Scotland votes yes simply because East Coast run very few trains in Scotland compared to the amount they run in England and even if the Scottish Government did have a say in choosing the franchise winner it would be an advisory role and the Dft would still choose the eventual winner.

They run quite a lot (by North-of-England standards) between Edinburgh and England!

 

[Bodiddly]

Sorry, but the Border posts (complete with gun toting guards and snarling Alsations) get erected early on Friday morning. This will seriously impact on East Coast AND Virgin's timetables as the Border Patrol storm through the trains demanding 'your papers please'!
All joking aside, there will be no change whatsoever to cross border travel no matter what the vote is. It's maybe time to stop believing the nonsense you read in the papers.

 

[thenorthern]

They run quite a lot (by North-of-England standards) between Edinburgh and England!

Its only every hour with some peak extras.

On a separate note though will Dunbar stop being operated by East Coast if Scotland vote yes?

 

[jopsuk]

The answer to most of these "if it is is Yes, will this happen?" questions is "we don't know, that's to be worked out". If the result is "yes", the timetable is for independence to happen in 18 months time, not on Friday morning

 

[HH]

Its only every hour with some peak extras.

On a separate note though will Dunbar stop being operated by East Coast if Scotland vote yes?

It's already moving to ScotRail.

 

[DarloRich]

I don’t think a yes in Scotland vote will impact on EC franchising - mainly as the government is desperate to push it through before the next election!

there will be no change whatsoever to cross border travel no matter what the vote is. It's maybe time to stop believing the nonsense you read in the papers.

It simply isn’t that clear or simple, despite what the nationalists say. The simple fact is that no body knows - To say otherwise is foolish.

The entry of an Independent Scotland into the EU, and on what terms, is the key.

 

[markydh]

Its only every hour with some peak extras.

On a separate note though will Dunbar stop being operated by East Coast if Scotland vote yes?

There are 3 East Coast services to Edinburgh and beyond every 2 hours actually, with plans for this to increase further following the IEP introduction.

 

[Hornet]

I wonder if Scotland would want to sign up to the Schengen Agreement? If it did, that would suddenly create problems - or might, finally, get us to consider signing up ourselves (along with Ireland).

Why would a country who may vote for independence, want to join an entity whose eventual aim is to have a Federalised State with a common tax policy? Also why do the French consider the problem of asylum seekers at Calais to be a British problem, when they should be dealt with in the first country they enter in the EU. I think that the 'Open Border' policy of the EU will need to be looked at, as it is not only the UK that are showing concerns about the large number of migrants which are heading into EU nations. Highly unlikely, as I cannot see Scotland joining the EU in the foreseeable future, but can you imagine a Calais scenario at Gretna Green?

 

[thenorthern]

There are 3 East Coast services to Edinburgh and beyond every 2 hours actually, with plans for this to increase further following the IEP introduction.

I can only find 2 is one of them CrossCountry?

 

[ModernRailways]

can you imagine a Calais scenario at Gretna Green?

 

[dysonsphere]

LOL dosnt matter now

 

[Tibbs]

LOL dosnt matter now

Until the next time...

No to Alex Salmond just means 'until I can get another referendum'.

 

[dysonsphere]

Until the next time...

No to Alex Salmond just means 'until I can get another referendum'.

Well 10% had to hurt

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

No to Alex Salmond just means 'until I can get another referendum'.

Considering the statements that he made about the acceptance of the referendum result and of the future time period following this, may I ask where your statement information above has its source from...:roll:

 

[Tibbs]

Considering the statements that he made about the acceptance of the referendum result and of the future time period following this, may I ask where your statement information above has its source from...:roll:

Years of experience of watching politicians.

Hi stated aim, and that of his party is Scottish independence. Do you think they're going to go away just becuase the people said no?

 

[Qwerty133]

Years of experience of watching politicians.

Hi stated aim, and that of his party is Scottish independence. Do you think they're going to go away just becuase the people said no?

Considering he's resigned I'd say he had gone away...

 

[GarethJohn]

If Westminster do not follow up their offer of extra power for Scotland or if a Westminster government gets even worse, it wont be just the SNP wanting a new referendum their will be NO voters joining a campaign to force a new referendum.

 

[47802]

It will be interesting to see how the SNP do without Salmond, I get the impression its a bit of a one man party and that the rest of them are a bunch of numpties, as I recall they didn't do that well when Salmond stood down for a while as leader

 

[HH]

It will be interesting to see how the SNP do without Salmond, I get the impression its a bit of a one man party and that the rest of them are a bunch of numpties, as I recall they didn't do that well when Salmond stood down for a while as leader

Maybe that's what he's relying on. Those in the know say that his deputy, Sturgeon, doesn't like him and he has to be vulnerable given how much he nailed his, and his party's, colours to the Yes mast.

He might be a third rate economist, but he appears to be a very slippery customer on the political front. I predict he'll be back before the election after this...

 

[Class 170101]

Salmond has said there won't be another referendum for a generation. However I believe there will be another referendum in my lifetime probably in my later years and it will be a yes vote.

The curent crop of politicans will have either long retired or been farmed off to the House of Lords and that it will be a new generation of SNP members - some of whom may not yet have been born who will lead Scotland to independence.

Fundamentally however they will need to learn from Salmond's mistakes particularly in not answering questions about currency, borders and so on. These questions will need to have answers for a credible campaign to win a yes vote.

 

[oldman]

IMO, it will happen like this:

SNP will treat referendum as an opinion poll and will not compromise with the no majority
SNP will reject any devo max proposal as inadequate
Next general election will be treated as referendum 2, 45% would be a landslide in first past the post

Salmond is retiring as leader, but he's only 60 this year, and will be planning the strategy for years to come. It's a war of attrition.

 

[NotATrainspott]

The Ashcroft poll suggested that a quarter of No voters did so because of the promise of more powers. If that promise doesn't pan out, the 14% of the total vote they represent plus any voters who now regret not voting Yes in Glasgow and Dundee on top of the 45% who did decide to vote Yes is a majority for independence. Both Labour and the Conservatives have already started to slip from the promises they made and there's no telling how bad it will get, especially when the two are squaring up against one another in terms of the West Lothian question. The 2015 General Election will be interesting, to say the least, as this will represent the first chance for the Yes coalition to wreak havoc on the existing political system. If every single Yes voter votes tactically the fireworks could be quite spectacular.

 

[Garmoran]

Salmond has said there won't be another referendum for a generation. However I believe there will be another referendum in my lifetime probably in my later years and it will be a yes vote.

Not before 2024, IMO, but certainly a possibility, dependent on many factors, including the results of the 2015 Westminster and 2016 Holyrood elections. Also whether UKIP and the very strident "We can't stand the Scots but they should stay in the Union and shut up" voices turn out to be representative of popular feeling south of the border or just very loud equivalents of the SNP's more extreme elements.

Fundamentally however they will need to learn from Salmond's mistakes particularly in not answering questions about currency, borders and so on. These questions will need to have answers for a credible campaign to win a yes vote.

I would certainly hope they will have come up with a solid and credible approach to the currency question. They will be my later years, too.

Some of the other questions may well have answers by then, as the EU may well have experience with what to do when part of a member state secedes. (Somehow I don't think Catalonia is likely to be told it will have to leave and apply for readmission, or that there will be border controls carried out on board the Zaragoza-Barcelona AVE)

 

[dysonsphere]

Well if it was 1 or 2 % that might work but 10% is a big number cant see them coming back from that.