EXCL Chris Grayling fails to impose first class ban on major rail network despite pledge

Emilio Casalicchio

Tory minister Chris Grayling refused to ban first class travel on a major rail franchise - despite promising a crackdown on busy commuter services.



The Transport Secretary failed to impose the condition on the East Midlands network as train firms prepared to fight for control of the lucrative lines.

A year ago Mr Grayling promised commuters would see “less first class in future” and said he was “absolutely” committed to scrapping segregation on short commuter routes at peak times.

But the Department for Transport has not banned a single first class carriage since he made the comments - and has given rail firms carte blanche to do as they please in the East Midlands.

Labour accused Mr Grayling of having “quietly dropped” one of his “few decent commitments”.

Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald told PoliticsHome: “With overcrowding on our railways at one of the highest levels since records began, it’s shocking that Chris Grayling is choosing not to implement his own policy.”

The tender to run the East Midlands network went out in June this year, but the Department for Transport imposed no condition saying hopeful train firms cannot run first class services.

Abellio, Arriva and incumbent Stagecoach are in the running to win the new contract which will run from August next year until 2027.

DfT confirmed to PoliticsHome: “The Department did not specify how bidders should approach first class provision.”

However, the department has said bidders to run the new South Eastern franchise contract - which begins in December this year - will be unable to run first class services.

It added that other franchises had flexibility when it came to class allocation and noted that the West Coast line was likely to continue first class services on its long distance journeys.

'TOTAL PAIN'

New figures released yesterday showed train services in major cities across England carried more than twice as many passengers last year as had seats available.

East Midlands services in London had were 11% over capacity on average in the morning peak period and 17% in the evening.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph in July last year, Mr Grayling said: "I absolutely understand what a total pain it is if you are standing on a train for 20 to 30 minutes on the way to work...

"I don't really see a case for a non-long distance journey for there to be any division between first and second class. There should just be one class on the train."

He added: “People will see less first class in the future as we start to say that on busy suburban trains you can't start segregating.”

Yesterday Mr Grayling told a committee of MPs he was "not a specialist in rail matters" when he was taken to task over shoddy services.