25 January 2017
RMT Press Office:
Rail Business Intelligence magazine reveals advanced plans to strip Southern/GTR of contract
Respected industry insiders Rail Business Intelligence (RBI) have today published detailed claims that the end of the track is nigh for failing Southern Railways and plans are now advanced for the Government to take direct control of this flawed contract.
Under an article entitled “Managed exit for GTR?” Rail Business Intelligence says:
“Despite the completion of its plan to introduce DOO on many Southern services from the start of 2017, RBI understands that Govia Thameslink Railway is in default of its contract, with performance falling below targets set in the remedial plan agreed with DfT. ‘GTR’s force majeure claim hasn’t gone the way it wanted…..RBI is aware of a number of options being prepared by DfT. These range from splitting off the Southern service group to a complete ‘managed exit’, whereby DfT would take direct control of the entire Thameslink, Southern & Great Northern franchise until a new contract could be let.
“Development of the latter option has progressed to the point where the plan has its own codename and a potential Interim Managing Director has been identified.”
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“Instead of dragging this farce out any longer the Government should now do the decent thing, pull the plug on the GTR contract, take the lines under public control and draw a line under this shambles that shames Britain’s railways. As part of that process they should get round the table with the union and reach a genuine and lasting negotiated settlement to the on-going guards safety dispute.
“RBI are the respected voice of the industry when it comes to insider knowledge and their claims today make sense to anyone who has tracked the Southern/GTR fiasco. Chris Grayling should stop pussy-footing about, get his act together and get Southern/GTR off the tracks before more damage is done.”
Ends.
Full article from today’s Rail Business Intelligence magazine
Managed exit for GTR?
Despite the completion of its plan to
introduce DOO on many Southern
services from the start of 2017, RBI
understands that Govia Thameslink
Railway is in default of its contract,
with performance falling below targets
set in the remedial plan agreed with
DfT. ‘GTR’s force majeure claim hasn’t
gone the way it wanted’, according to
one insider, who confirmed that the
franchise was in default.
With GTR on course to make a
substantial loss in the current financial
year, RBI is aware of a number of
options being prepared by DfT. These
range from splitting off the Southern
service group to a complete ‘managed
exit’, whereby DfT would take direct
control of the entire Thameslink,
Southern & Great Northern franchise
until a new contract could be let.
Development of the latter option
has progressed to the point where
the plan has its own codename and a
potential Interim Managing Director
has been identified.
Unity House
Tel: 020 7387 4771
Email: