Last week the government unveiled a £20m fund in a bid to improve services and “get to grips” with problems on the network.
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Now the transport select committee will invite a number of academics to the House of Commons this afternoon as it examines the rail passenger market in the United Kingdom and the extent to which rail franchising has enabled efficiencies and cost improvements in the sector.
Commuters on the troubled Southern rail network are raising money for legal action against the Department for Transport over its handling of the franchise.
Alex Foulds, passenger services director at Southern, said: “Passengers will be rightly dismayed that the RMT has chosen to disrupt services yet again. Our market positions have been strengthened, with organic growth supported by contract wins and extensions”, said chief executive David Brown. “This is great news and recognises the frustration felt by Surrey’s commuters about the delays, cancellations and disruption, ‘ he said”.
“That the taxpayer is on the hook for millions of pounds to prop up this company is just salt in the wound”.
And in an apparent panic move, the department announced restoration of 119 of the 341 Southern daily services suspended because the operator was incapable of providing them.
Southern was given some good news when the RMT called off a planned 24-hour walkout on September 7 in a row over ticket office closures.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said the union remained available “for serious talks”.
He added: “While Go-Ahead have been driving Britain’s biggest rail franchise into total meltdown, the cash has been sloshing through the boardroom at obscene levels”.
The RMT union, entangled in a bitter dispute with Southern, said the surge in profits was a “reward for failure” and London mayor Sadiq Khan said: “Long-suffering commuters will be shocked”.
“Just a fraction of the £100 million the GTR parent company is hoarding in profits would be enough to keep a guard on the Southern trains, keep the trains safe and resolve the dispute”. “It is shameful that they have opted to hoard cash instead of protecting the travelling public”. “It’s completely unacceptable they’re paying massive dividends to shareholders while Croydon residents suffer”.
“Customers will see gradual improvements over the next two years but the capacity of the network remains restricted until the end of 2018, when the ultimate benefits of this huge investment programme will be delivered”.
Southern passengers have been hit by months of severe disruption and strike action.
Mr Brown turned down the opportunity to be considered for an annual bonus, declined a salary increase and apologised to passengers for the Southern chaos.
He said: “A large part of the role of the GTR franchise is to introduce three new train fleets and modernise working practices”.
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Gibb said: “Committed railway people across the industry work hard round-the-clock to provide the best possible service to a growing number of passengers, during a time of much needed major investment”.
