Analysis: The shock is bigger than the surprise at the arrival of another troubled franchise into public hands
The manner in which Southeastern joined the ranks of the train services under direct state control – a £25m accounting breach and a possible fraud investigation – came as some shock. But the eventual arrival into public hands of another troubled rail franchise is less surprising.
The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, announced on Tuesday that the government would take over the Southeastern network from Go-Ahead in mid-October, after “clear, compelling and serious evidence” that the operator had for years “breached the trust that is absolutely fundamental to the success of our railways”.
