The first meeting of an All-Party Group of MPs that will scrutinise rail services for the area served by the Southern Rail franchise has taken place in the House of Commons. 

At the meeting on Wednesday, 13^th July Sir Nicholas Soames MP and Peter Kyle MP [Member of Parliament for Hove and Portslade] were elected as Co-Chairs and MPs and Peers from all parts of the region served by Southern were present. The meeting agreed the following Statement of Purpose for the All-Party Group:

“To scrutinise the operation and performance of the Southern Rail franchise with a view to ensuring service improvement by the franchise. We will act for the best interests of passengers by providing challenge to all organisations, including the Government, which have a bearing on operational performance”

Sir Nicholas and Peter said; “We are brought together as Parliamentarians from different Parties with the sole intention of representing the interests of passengers. They tell us daily of the misery they experience getting to and from work. 

“We don’t want to offer false optimism to passengers who have already suffered enough broken promises, but by working as a Group we have a better chance of getting the kind of information passengers need. We can also exert a greater degree of influence on the people making decisions that affect the quality of journeys our constituents make.”

The Group will now be formally constituted with the House of Commons authorities. It has already been agreed that the Rail Minister and Head of Network Rail will be invited to early sessions to be held when Parliament returns from recess in September.