Date: 28/09/2021

Department for Transport finds rail operator did not declare more than £25m of historical taxpayer funding. The government is taking over the running of Southeastern railway services from Go-Ahead after discovering a serious breach of the franchise agreement. The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said an investigation by the Department for Transport found that since October 2014 Southeastern had not declared more than £25m of historical taxpayer funding that should have been returned, and described this as a serious breach of the franchise agreements good faith obligation.

External links

Government to take over Southeastern after serious breach of franchise

The Guardian

Department for Transport finds rail operator did not declare more than £25m of historical taxpayer funding

Southeastern trains taken over by Government after £25,000,000 breach

Metro

An investigation found that since October 2014, the company has not declared more than £25 million of historic taxpayer funding which should have been returned.

Southeastern stripped of franchise over undeclared funding

BBC

Southeastern failed to declare more than £25m of taxpayer funding that should have been returned.

Related images

A Southeastern 'Javelin' set departs westwards from Margate with a service to St Pancras on 5 March 2017. The station can be seen in the background, however the signal box that stood on the left has been demolished see image [[21767]].
Location: Margate
Company: Kent Coast Railway
05/03/2017 John McIntyre

Southeastern Networker 465934 arriving at London Bridge station in June 2011.
Location: London Bridge
Company: London and Greenwich Railway
/06/2011 Ian Dinmore

Related news items

Tags: x Southeastern x Franchise x Department for Transport x Serious Fraud Office x Operator of Last Resort x Govia x Go-Ahead x Keolis