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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| MPs urge ministers to 'get a grip' in midst of Southern strike woes | MPs urge ministers to 'get a grip' in midst of Southern strike woes |
| (7 days later) | |
| MPs have attacked the government's handling of rail franchises, saying passengers have been let down badly. | MPs have attacked the government's handling of rail franchises, saying passengers have been let down badly. |
| A Transport Select Committee report cited the "woeful" experience of Southern passengers, who have faced months of industrial action and staff shortages. | A Transport Select Committee report cited the "woeful" experience of Southern passengers, who have faced months of industrial action and staff shortages. |
| Ministers were urged to "get a grip" on monitoring rail franchise agreements. | Ministers were urged to "get a grip" on monitoring rail franchise agreements. |
| The Department for Transport (DfT) said improving Southern services was a priority for the government. | The Department for Transport (DfT) said improving Southern services was a priority for the government. |
| The RMT union, which is locked in a bitter dispute with the rail operator over the future role of conductors, said the report was an indictment of the failure of rail privatisation. | The RMT union, which is locked in a bitter dispute with the rail operator over the future role of conductors, said the report was an indictment of the failure of rail privatisation. |
| It was published as Southern timetables returned to normal after a three-day strike by union members. | It was published as Southern timetables returned to normal after a three-day strike by union members. |
| A further 11 days of strikes are planned before Christmas. | A further 11 days of strikes are planned before Christmas. |
| Southern's owners, Govia Thameslink Rail (GTR) said the report covered many issues already in the public domain. | Southern's owners, Govia Thameslink Rail (GTR) said the report covered many issues already in the public domain. |
| MPs said the evidence taken from rail passengers was dominated by problems faced by GTR. | MPs said the evidence taken from rail passengers was dominated by problems faced by GTR. |
| 'No longer credible' | 'No longer credible' |
| The report considered whether the firm is now in default of its contractual obligations due to the substantial number of train cancellations. | The report considered whether the firm is now in default of its contractual obligations due to the substantial number of train cancellations. |
| "In normal circumstances, this would be grounds for termination of the contract," the report said. | "In normal circumstances, this would be grounds for termination of the contract," the report said. |
| The DfT's claim that no other operator could do a better job in the circumstances was no longer credible, the committee said. | The DfT's claim that no other operator could do a better job in the circumstances was no longer credible, the committee said. |
| On parts of the national rail network, passengers struggled daily to get the service they deserved, the report said. | On parts of the national rail network, passengers struggled daily to get the service they deserved, the report said. |
| It cited a number of other problems, including overcrowding, delays, complex ticketing and a lack of access for disabled passengers. | It cited a number of other problems, including overcrowding, delays, complex ticketing and a lack of access for disabled passengers. |
| Committee chairman Louise Ellman said passengers must be "furious, and rightly so". | Committee chairman Louise Ellman said passengers must be "furious, and rightly so". |
| "The individual voices of customers suffering woeful service on Southern Railway, in particular, came through loud and clear during our inquiry," she said. | "The individual voices of customers suffering woeful service on Southern Railway, in particular, came through loud and clear during our inquiry," she said. |
| "GTR, RMT and the government are all culpable to some extent for the prolonged dispute, but passengers have borne the brunt." | "GTR, RMT and the government are all culpable to some extent for the prolonged dispute, but passengers have borne the brunt." |
| Ms Ellman said the size of the rail network had barely increased despite passenger journeys more than doubling over the last 20 years. | Ms Ellman said the size of the rail network had barely increased despite passenger journeys more than doubling over the last 20 years. |
| "Passengers now contribute more than 70% of the industry's real income, but in too many places, passengers are badly serviced by train operating companies," she added. | "Passengers now contribute more than 70% of the industry's real income, but in too many places, passengers are badly serviced by train operating companies," she added. |
| The report recommended an automatic compensation scheme be set up to refund Southern passengers directly without the need to make a claim. | The report recommended an automatic compensation scheme be set up to refund Southern passengers directly without the need to make a claim. |
| The DfT said it monitored the performance of all rail franchises and each franchise agreement contained clear penalty clauses for repeated poor performance. | The DfT said it monitored the performance of all rail franchises and each franchise agreement contained clear penalty clauses for repeated poor performance. |
| "Simply changing the management or taking the franchise from GTR would not address the issues and would only create uncertainty and cause further disruption," it said in a statement. | "Simply changing the management or taking the franchise from GTR would not address the issues and would only create uncertainty and cause further disruption," it said in a statement. |
| 'Not good enough' | 'Not good enough' |
| GTR's CEO Charles Horton said the firm had submitted claims to the DfT for unforeseeable circumstances caused by industrial action that prevented it from fulfilling its contract. | GTR's CEO Charles Horton said the firm had submitted claims to the DfT for unforeseeable circumstances caused by industrial action that prevented it from fulfilling its contract. |
| "We recognise and fully accept that our service on parts of the GTR franchise has not been good enough and we are sincerely sorry to our passengers for that," he said. | "We recognise and fully accept that our service on parts of the GTR franchise has not been good enough and we are sincerely sorry to our passengers for that," he said. |
| "Our passengers have already seen 400 new vehicles on our network in the past two years [and] extended smart card technology across our network. | "Our passengers have already seen 400 new vehicles on our network in the past two years [and] extended smart card technology across our network. |
| "We remain committed and determined to modernise the railway and deliver a better service for everyone." | "We remain committed and determined to modernise the railway and deliver a better service for everyone." |