FirstGroup, Stagecoach Among Short-listed Bidders For West Coast Line

The U.K.'s Department for Transport Thursday announced a shortlist of three bidders for the major West Coast rail franchise that operates between London and Glasgow.

The short list comprises a bid from a joint venture between Italian state-owned rail group Trenitalia SpA and U.K. transport company FirstGroup PLC (FGP.LN), one from Hong Kong rail operator MTR Corporation and China's Guangshen Railway Company and another from France's SNCF C3 and the U.K. transport companies Stagecoach Group PLC (SGC.LN) and Virgin Holdings Ltd.

The Department for Transport also revealed that companies interested in running the South Eastern rail franchise between London and neighboring areas are: a joint venture between Abellio Transport Group Ltd, East Japan Railway Company and Mitsui & Co Ltd; Govia Ltd, a joint venture that includes U.K. transport company Go-Ahead Group PLC (GOG.LN); Stagecoach Group; and Trenitalia.

-Write to Rory Gallivan at rory.gallivan@wsj.com; Twitter: @RoryGallivan

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 22, 2017 02:57 ET (06:57 GMT)