Go-Ahead subsidiary secures direct award contract for Southeastern

Transport group Go-Ahead has today announced one of its subsidiaries has secured a contract from the Department of Transport (DfT) for its Southeastern franchise.

Govia, of which 65 per cent is owned by Go-Ahead, has been awarded a direct award contract to continue operating the Southeastern rail franchise from April 1 until October 2021, with the option to extend until March 2022.

The new arrangement is a management contract, unlike the existing contract which sees revenue primarily generated through passenger fares, and reflects the DfT’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

David Brown, Go-Ahead CEO, commented: “This new contract provides continuity and stability during a challenging time.

“The immediate priority remains the health and wellbeing of colleagues and customers, and to support society by providing an essential service for key workers.”

David Statham, Southeastern managing director, added: “We continue to work with our industry partners to ensure that services are available to get people working in healthcare, food and other vital public services where they need to be.

“When customers are able to begin travelling as normal, we look forward to reconnecting our communities and further improving capacity, performance and customer satisfaction.”