High Speed Train

Addleshaw Goddard has raked in £1.2 million for advising the Department for Transport (DfT) on a legal battle brought by a consortium of railway operators.

According to a public award document, the firm was contracted to prepare the DfT's defence against a legal challenge brought by the consortium – made up of Virgin Trains, Stagecoach and French trains operator SNCF – which sought to overturn a decision that disqualified it from bidding to operate the U.K.'s West Coast Railway franchise.

Ashurst is representing the consortium, which is known as the West Coast Trains Partnership, as part of the ongoing proceedings.

The year-long contract started back in July and covered urgent work done by Addleshaws in May as the DfT faced two concurrent legal challenges over railway contracts.

At the time, the DfT was the subject of two other separate legal proceedings brought by Stagecoach and Arriva Rail following both companies' disbarment from the East Midlands Railway franchise tender process. Eversheds Sutherland, Herbert Smith Freehills and Stephenson Harwood also took roles on those challenges.

Addleshaws has since advised the DfT on the deal for a new train operator of the West Coast Mainline, as part of which FirstGroup will take over the franchise – which had previously been run by Virgin – in a 70:30 partnership with Italian train operator Trenitalia starting in December of this year.

FirstGroup is being advised by Burges Salmon on that transaction, while Trenitalia has turned to Italian law firm BonelliErede.

Addleshaws declined to comment.