A number of my constituents were caught up in queues that The Argus described as “snaking as far as the eye can see” after trains at the end of the match were cancelled at very short notice. This followed on from last minute cancellations prior to the match too.

In the letter I call on the Department for Transport (DfT) to directly address the rail crisis affecting our city and our region. The DfT is very closely involved in the running of the Southern part of the GTR franchise via a management contract yet the whole thing is shrouded in secrecy and the DfT is not directly accountable. Meanwhile, passengers, including Albion fans, suffer. This cannot just go on and on.

It’s time to end the contract with GTR and for the DfT to be upfront and accountable: the people who use the trains, and the businesses that rely upon them, such as Brighton & Hove Albion, deserve better than this.

-----------

The text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Paul

Impact of rail chaos on Brighton & Hove Albion FC

I would like to draw your attention to the impact of the rail chaos upon Brighton & Hove’s football club, Brighton & Hove Albion FC.

Just last Friday a number of my constituents were caught up in queues that Brighton paper The Argus described as “snaking as far as the eye can see” after trains at the end of an evening match were cancelled at very short notice. Albion fans are a diverse group and include families with small children: unacceptably, these were just some of the thousands of people left waiting until late in the evening. A constituent has described the scene as “totally shambolic” and said “Brighton supporters are a good natured bunch and have an excellent reputation as football fans, but you can feel the frustration building when there is simply not enough rail capacity”.

As well as the safety concerns arising from such chaos, this situation damages Albion’s economic position. For example, in August the club’s director speculated that the impact of train cancellations during three matches at that time would be in the order of £300,000 made up of £250,000 in lost revenue and £50,000 in increased costs, such as providing replacement buses, additional park and ride sites and stewarding. With Albion’s home matches gaining a reputation for unreliable transport provision, it is possible that away fans, such as the approximately 3000 who were at the match last Friday, might think twice before coming again, adding to the economic losses that Brighton & Hove is already suffering as a result of the chaos on our railways.

For home fans, the atmosphere at the matches and overall morale will inevitably suffer if there is uncertainty over whether they can even get to and from the game. Yet this morale is vital: Albion came close to joining the Premier League last season and hopes to make it this season. I am, of course, fully behind the club in this aspiration, which would be a fantastic boost both to fans and to the city as a whole. I do not underestimate the importance that services around the match can make in supporting the club to achieve that ambition.

It is time for the DfT to directly address the rail crisis affecting our city and our region. The DfT cannot continue to hide behind GTR, and their seemingly never to be decided application to the DfT for Force Majeure – GTR’s attempt to shift the blame and to be excused from failing to meet performance benchmarks.

Is the reason the Force Majeure decision is taking so long, because it suits the Government to leave it undecided, which allows GTR to continue, so Ministers don’t have to enforce the contract and take direct responsibility?

It is clear that the DfT is very closely involved in the running of the Southern part of the GTR franchise via a management contract. Yet the whole thing is shrouded in secrecy and the DfT is not directly accountable. Operational matters central to the current industrial dispute remain censored when they have nothing to do with commercial confidentiality. Meanwhile, passengers, including Albion fans, suffer. This cannot just go on and on.

It’s time to end that contract and for the DfT to be upfront and accountable: the people who use the trains, and the businesses that rely upon them, such as Brighton & Hove Albion, deserve better than this.

Yours sincerely

Caroline Lucas MP