TSSA Comment on Go-Ahead Failure Admission

TSSA, today, responded to Go-Ahead Group's admission of "serious failures and errors" in the way it ran Southeastern rail by calling on Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to strip the group of their other rail franchises.

Manuel Cortes said, “It’s been obvious to anyone in the industry that Go-Ahead weren’t up to the job of running Southeastern rail. The only surprise is that Go-Ahead has finally come clean and admitted their mistakes.  

“Go Ahead’s admission that they held onto £25 million of taxpayers’ money should be the final death blow for privatisation. Far from delivering value for money for taxpayers, it delivers taxpayers’ money direct to privateers.

“Never mind Go Ahead paying a fine for pocketing taxpayers’ money, Grant Shapps should strip them of their other franchises right now. The only way we can be certain that Southern, Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Great Northern franchises are being run in the public interests is to bring them all back into public ownership.”