Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the public purse would be of the Government cancelling Southern's contract immediately.

Whilst Southern is used as an operating name by the franchisee, it is in fact part of Govia Thameslink Railway Limited, which operates the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) Franchise.

The Department for Transport monitors the operational and contractual performance of all franchises. If a franchisee does not meet its contractual commitments, it would be at the Secretary of State’s discretion to make a decision on next steps.

Schedule 10.2 of the TSGN Franchise Agreement sets out the termination provisions: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/488198/tsgn-franchise-agreement.pdf