Editing Southern (Govia Thameslink Railway) (section)

===Punctuality and overcrowding===
In January 2015, Southern hit controversy when it was revealed that the 7.29am Brighton to London Victoria train failed to get in on time on any occasion out of all 240 attempts in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11339623/Britains-worst-train-service-Southerns-7.29-Brighton-to-London-train-was-late-every-day-for-a-year.html |title = Britain's worst train service: Southern's 7.29 Brighton to London train was late every day for a year |date = 12 January 2015 |newspaper = The Daily Telegraph|location = London |url-access = subscription |access-date = 23 May 2023 |archive-date = 30 August 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160830130240/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11339623/Britains-worst-train-service-Southerns-7.29-Brighton-to-London-train-was-late-every-day-for-a-year.html |url-status = live }}</ref> Later in May 2015 it was revealed that Southern had fined passengers for standing in first class on an overcrowded train.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11615451/Southern-Railway-fines-passengers-forced-to-stand-in-first-class.html |title = Southern Railway fines passengers forced to stand in first class |date = 19 May 2015 |newspaper = The Daily Telegraph|location = London |access-date = 4 April 2018 |archive-date = 7 March 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160307041042/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11615451/Southern-Railway-fines-passengers-forced-to-stand-in-first-class.html |url-status = live }}</ref> Only 20% of Southern trains arrived on time in the year from April 2015 to March 2016, and there was an ongoing industrial dispute over driver-only operated trains.<ref name=standard-20160617>{{cite news |url = https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/govia-thameslink-railway-boss-refuses-to-defend-ceo-s-2m-pay-a3274396.html |title = Govia Thameslink Railway boss refuses to defend CEO £2m pay |first = Joseph |last = Watts |newspaper = Evening Standard|location = London |date = 17 June 2016 |access-date = 20 June 2016 |archive-date = 30 November 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201130152245/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/govia-thameslink-railway-boss-refuses-to-defend-ceo-s-2m-pay-a3274396.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=ylg-20160617>{{cite news |url = http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/14562593.Boss_of_Epsom_s_main_train_operator_takes_home___2_1m_paycheck_despite__appalling_service_/ |title = Boss of Epsom's main train operator Govia Thameslink Railway takes home £2.1m paycheck despite "appalling service" |author=Craig Richard |newspaper=Your Local Guardian |date=17 June 2016 |access-date=20 June 2016 |archive-date=18 June 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160618143549/http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/14562593.Boss_of_Epsom_s_main_train_operator_takes_home___2_1m_paycheck_despite__appalling_service_/ |url-status = live }}</ref> In late 2016, the [[Transport Select Committee]] told ministers to "get a grip" on railway franchises, with their report asking if the train operator was in breach of their contractual obligations due to the large number of cancelled trains, and went on to say, "in normal circumstances, this would be grounds for termination of the contract".<ref name="BBC News select committee 2016">{{cite news |title = MPs urge ministers to 'get a grip' in midst of Southern strike woes |publisher = BBC News |date = 14 October 2016 |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37650531 |access-date = 28 December 2016 |archive-date = 17 October 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161017190501/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37650531 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="The Week UK select committee 2016">{{cite web |title = Rail strike: MPs tell government to 'get a grip' on franchises |website = The Week UK |date = 14 September 2016 |url = http://www.theweek.co.uk/63645/southern-rail-strike-staff-begin-48-hour-walkout |access-date = 28 December 2016 |archive-date = 29 December 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161229102510/http://www.theweek.co.uk/63645/southern-rail-strike-staff-begin-48-hour-walkout |url-status = live }}</ref>