South-east MPs attack Southeastern and call for franchise to be stripped

In a Westminster hall debate today MPs formed rank to attack the train company.

Matthew Pennycook MP, took on the issues of overcrowding and the reliability of Southeastern train services.

Greenwich MP, Matthew Pennycook

The Greenwich MP said: “I do think that Southeastern have lost the chance to restore confidence and faith in their service.

“I think the franchise should be removed - they have lost the opportunity to restore that confidence.”

Erith and Thamesmead MP, Teresa Pearce

Erith and Thamesmead MP, Ms Teresa Pearce, added: “I have just one train line running through my constituency, two tracks, three stations, one train rail line, what could go wrong?

“Well, Southeastern could go wrong.

“Before Southeastern we had Connex and Connex was terrible and we thought Southeastern would be better and we were wrong.

“I have a real appreciation of the frustration of the what it’s like to stand on a platform in the certain knowledge of the uncertainty of the train service.”

The barrages of criticism come at a time when rail users have become increasingly dissatisfied with Southeastern’s services.

Eltham MP, Clive Efford

Eltham MP Clive Efford, who brought forward the motion, said: “I know that this situation - that has occurred since Christmas - is not entirely the fault of Southeastern.

“Network Rail are responsible for over 70 per cent of the failures that have occurred but quite frankly my constituents don’t care who’s to blame they want their trains to turn up on time as it states on the timetable and that these trains will take them where they need to go.

“Since Christmas the situation has deteriorated quite significantly.”

Mr Efford read aloud some of his constituents’ complaints, including difficulties finding alternative routes, late trains, cancelled trains and a “clunky” delay and repay system.

Lewisham West and Penge MP, ​Jim Dowd

Jim Dowd, MP for Lewisham West and Penge, said: “I join in the general wailing and gnashing of teeth about the service that is is allegedly provided by Southeastern, it’s not unreasonable to expect a reasonable service particularly in light of the amount of money they pay.

“I wish though Southeastern would put as much effort into running the trains on time as they do into providing some of the excuses for why they don’t.”

Lewisham Deptford MP, Vicky Foxcroft

Vicky Foxcroft made the suggestion to the Department for Transport’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Claire Penny MP, that Southeastern should have its franchise stripped and it should go ahead sooner than 2018.

The Lewisham Deptford MP said: “I am literally bombarded by constituents contacting us due to the numerous problems mentioned.

“If Southeastern can’t be running the service properly now then perhaps they should be losing the franchise sooner.”

In response to the MPs’ attacks, a spokesman for Southeastern and Network Rail said: “Network Rail and Southeastern are working together to improve performance on one of the most congested parts of the UK railway network.

“Southeastern is working hard to improve the performance of its trains including bringing in a rigorous maintenance regime that now sees more trains in service at any one time than ever before.

“We realise that performance has not always been as good as our passengers would like and we are working hard to change this.”

On the issue of Southeastern's Delay Repay scheme, the spokesman said: "We run nearly 2,000 passenger trains on weekdays, around 1,700 on Saturdays and nearly 1,000 on Sundays to the 179 stations we serve across our network in London, Kent and East Sussex.

“We work very hard to run a punctual service, but when disruption does occur we always encourage passengers to claim compensation if their journey has been delayed by 30 minutes or more.

"The easiest and quickest way to do this is by filling in our online form on our website at www.southeasternrailway.co.uk.”

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