Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise

That this House is deeply concerned at reports that the Department for Transport may sign a National Rail Contract with Govia Thameslink Railways to run the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise; notes that Govia, the majority shareholder of Govia Thameslink Railways, was stripped of the Southeastern franchise in September 2021 following a serious breach of the franchise agreement’s good faith obligation in relation to financial matters; further notes that, at the time, the management of Southeastern and of Govia Ltd were effectively the same people; notes with concern that the DfT has allowed the investigation into this scandal to be conducted by the owning group, Go-Ahead Group plc, despite the DfT’s view that Go-Ahead and London and South Eastern Railway (LSER) were aware that HS1 money was due to the Department and that LSER were continuing to minimise the risk of detection by the Department; ?notes with deep concern that there has been no independent or public scrutiny of this scandal; notes that the Operator of Last Resort has prepared a subsidiary company to take over the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise; believes that under no circumstances should the DfT award any new contract to the Go-Ahead Group or any of its subsidiaries; and calls on the Department to instruct the Operator of Last Resort to take over the franchise and run it in the public sector.