Southern “fined” for poor performance

The Department for Transport has told Southern to pay for a £13.4 million package of improvements to compensate for its consistent failure to meet service targets, having decided that industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions did not fully explain the operator’s poor performance.

Southern’s parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) had lodged a claim for force majeure, arguing that poor performance was due to factors outside its control.

Following a case brought by the Association of British Commuters, a High Court Judge gave Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling 14 days to reach a decision.

On July 13 Grayling responded that force majeure did not apply, stating: “GTR must do better in providing services to its passengers.”

The Gibb Report ( RAIL 830) stated that industrial action was the primary reason for Southern continuing to be the poorest-performing train operator. But it also catalogued a series of other failings - or areas with scope for improvement - by both the franchise owner and by Network Rail.

Services had been affected by extensive engineering works, including the rebuilding of London Bridge station, and GTR admitted that it had underestimated the impact these would have.

Of the money, £4m will be used to fund 50 additional On Board Supervisors, and £7m will be allocated to unspecified improvements “that will directly benefit passengers”. The remaining £2.4m will “help performance improvements”. No further details were given.

In the past 12 months 64% of Southern main line and Coastway services arrived on time. Metro services performed only slightly better (78%). The average score for all operators was 88%.

GTR Chief Executive Charles Horton said: “We are pleased this issue has been concluded, and accept and are sorry that our service levels haven’t been good enough for passengers.”

Lianna Etkind, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said the money was “too little, too late”.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the payment would be “absolutely no consolation for commuters”.