The Timetable Inquiry by The Office of Rail and Road today revealed that a lack of responsibility and accountability was largely to blame for the cause of the collapse of services in May after timetable changes to Govia Thameslink and Northern services.
In response, Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM, Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee said:
“The findings of this report come as no surprise to anyone.
“The timetable changes earlier this year brought immeasurable disruption to passengers who use the service, as detailed in a letter I wrote to the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling just two months ago.
“There has been a serious lack of leadership when it comes to the running of the railways in this country and Londoners are paying the price. Now the evidence shows strong leadership is required to bring services up to the standard Londoners deserve.
“It is simply unfair to ask Londoners to fork out more and more money each year for services that frequently just aren’t good enough.
“The Transport Secretary, the Department for Transport, Network Rail and Govia Thameslink all have a lot to answer for and there’s a long way to go to fully compensate Londoners for the time and money they have lost being caught up in this mess.”
Notes to editors
- Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, is available for interview – see contact details below.
- A letter written to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in July from the chair of the transport committee regarding the Govia Thameslink timetable disruption.
- London Assembly Transport Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
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