(14 Apr 2013, 1:21 pm)Kuyoyo wrote(14 Apr 2013, 1:09 pm)aureolin wrote(14 Apr 2013, 9:31 am)fozzovmurton wrote What is the chances of TPE being merged into the Northern Franchise
Highly unlikely I'd say. Something like that chance to catch the eye of the competition commission. More so with what happened with the West Coast franchise.
Actually, that's the whole point of timing both the current Northern and TPE finishing at the same time. To merge the two together again.
As pointed out above by aureolin, I would be very surprised to see the competitions commision actually allow that, giving the winning operator a would have a virtual monopoly over Northern England.