LAWYERS acting on a behalf of a group of commuters have written to the Department for Transport asking if Southern's parent company has breached its franchise agreement.

Working on behalf of the Association of British Commuters, the lawyers are asking for documents relating to Govia Thameslink Railway's franchise agreement to be disclosed.

The organisation - which is fundraising to take the Government to court with a judicial review of the train crisis - said yesterday the request has not been granted so far.

The DfT said it cannot comment while potential legal action is underway.

Emily Yates, campaign co-ordinator, said: "It is hard to understand why they cannot be transparent about their dealings with a private company that is failing on such an unprecedented scale."

Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas pledge her support to the group which has more than 800 members and has raised more than £17,000 towards its £25,000 target to fund a judicial review into the Government's handling of the Southern Railway crisis.

Mrs Lucas said: "I’m delighted to welcome this initiative from the Association of British Commuters as it gives rail users a key role in holding the Department for Transport to account for the chaos on our railways.

"It’s utterly disgraceful that the Government has allowed the effective collapse of such vital infrastructure, with all the associated impacts on business, tourism and personal well-being.

"I believe that Southern’s parent company GTR is so clearly unfit for purpose that the contract should be taken off them immediately.

"I look forward to working alongside the Association of British Commuters and others towards establishing a rail service that’s run for people not profit."

Donate at crowdjustice.co.uk/case/southernrail.