Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how long passengers were held on trains outside Lewisham Station after the electricity supply was turned off on Friday 2 March; and if he will make a statement.

Network Rail turned the power off to ensure the safety of people who had self-evacuated from delayed trains. The power was off for nearly 3 hours while railway staff and the emergency services worked to ensure that all tracks were clear, and the power could be safely restored.

During this time, a number of passengers on other trains also self-evacuated over a 2-mile long stretch of railway, which resulted in longer delays than might have otherwise been the case.

Southeastern are appointing an independent investigator to lead a full review of the incident to identify lessons learnt which will include the management of incidents when trains become stranded between stations.