Keolis Downer stripped of contract overseas as questions remain here in SA

The Marshall Liberal Government’s foreign private train operator Keolis Downer has been stripped of a key rail contract overseas, amid concerns the operator still isn’t providing its own drivers here in Adelaide.

The UK Government has announced it is taking back control of the Southeastern rail service, operating between London, Kent and Sussex, after uncovering a missing £25 million in what it said was a “serious” breach of its franchise agreement.

The railway is one of the UK’s biggest commuter networks and was run by a joint venture including Keolis.

Here in Adelaide, Keolis Downer has been running the train network since January.

However, it is clear Keolis has still been unable to provide its own drivers to operate the service, instead relying on drivers seconded from the government.

In June, Keolis Downer admitted it is skipping train stations, amid allegations drivers are being instructed to skip stations to make on-time running statistics look better.

In August, it emerged complaints from commuters about trains have increased by 36 per cent since the Marshall Liberal Government privatised the service at the start of the year.

Taxpayers are forking out nearly half a million dollars every day to pay foreign company Keolis Downer to run the privatised Adelaide train network.

Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Infrastructure & Transport Tom Koutsantonis

This latest controversy in the UK is yet more proof our trains should be operated in the public interest not the interests of Keolis Downer’s international investors.

We can already see what is happening in Adelaide, with complaints going up and reports of drivers skipping train stations.

There are also questions about how Keolis Downer is satisfying the terms of its contract, given it doesn’t appear to be providing enough drivers to operate the network.

If elected, a Malinauskas Labor Government will return our train service back into public hands where it belongs.