A MPs’ transport committee pointed to the Department for Transport and the civil service for a catalogue of “major failures” and “irresponsible decisions”.

The failure has been estimated to have cost taxpayers around £50 million with no outcome. The West Coast procurement failure and findings of the committee are embarrassing to the government at a time when the public sector is trying to develop internal procurement capabilities and in turn publicly criticises the private sector for lesser failings.

Louise Ellman, chairwoman of the committee, said: “This episode revealed substantial problems of governance, assurance, policy and resources inside the Department for Transport”, adding “This was compounded by major failures by civil servants, some of whom misled ministers."