Southeastern commuter services to be cut from April?
There have been reports today that the Department for Transport has written to Southeastern warning of cuts to passenger services if freight trains are needed to transport goods after Brexit.
Chris Grayling’s department are in talk for additional evening freight services through the Channel Tunnel – and are also looking at running trains during the day taking paths away from passenger trains.
Grayling and the DfT are currently undergoing heavy criticism for offering a contract to a company for shipping routes after Brexit that have no boats and apparently cut and pasted terms and conditions from a restaurant website. A number of investigations may be launched into that award.
Southeastern’s franchise renewal has been delayed numerous times since 2014 and Grayling also blocked transferring services to TfL after a previous agreement had been agreed.
Is this after a no-deal Brexit or with the assumption that May’s deal (or any withdrawal agreement) will be passed?