LONDON, Nov. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On 5 October 2022, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) issued a collective proceedings order certifying a class consisting of certain rail passengers that paid for travel on the London-Brighton mainline. The Class Representative claims these rail passengers overpaid for journeys. The Class Representative seeks to recover money for the class members from Govia Thameslink Limited (GTR) and its parent companies, The Go-Ahead Group Plc and Keolis (UK) Limited.

The CAT set a deadline of 6 January 2023 for class members that were U.K. domiciled on 5 October 2022 to opt out of the proceedings and for class members who were non-U.K. domiciled on 5 October 2022 to opt in to the proceedings.

The Claim alleges that the fare-setting regulatory regime does not entitle GTR to issue fares limited to only Southern and/or Thameslink branded trains but requires GTR's fares to permit travel on all three brands (Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express). The Claim alleges that by charging higher prices for fares permitting travel on two or all three brands, GTR has been (and is) abusing its dominant position in the market for rail services on the London-Brighton mainline in breach of Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998.

The class comprises any person who after 30 September 2015 paid for: (1) Any Permitted fares (tickets) issued by GTR for travel in either direction between stations on the London-Brighton mainline (including fares covering travel on London Underground) but excluding fares for travel exclusively within Travelcard Zones; (2) Not Gatwick Express fares issued by GTR for travel in either direction between stations on the London-Brighton mainline (including fares covering travel on London Underground) but excluding fares for travel exclusively within Travelcard Zones; (3) Train travel where a passenger taps in or out at platforms 13 and 14 at London Victoria with Oyster Pay As You Go or other contactless payment cards when travelling to or from another station on the GTR train network (including stations north of London); and/or (4) Penalty fares or excess fares when travelling on the London-Brighton mainline imposed exclusively because the person was travelling on a GTR train brand excluded by the relevant fares originally purchased by the person.

Passengers domiciled in the United Kingdom on 5 October 2022 will be automatically included in the claim unless they request to be excluded. Anyone domiciled outside the United Kingdom on 5 October 2022 will not be included in the claim unless they request to be included. For a class member to exclude himself/herself from the claim he/she must write to GTR Opt-Out Collective Action, PO Box 114, Minehead, TA24 9DN. Instructions are available on the dedicated claim website at www.gtrclaim.co.uk. Notice of an intention to opt out must be received by 6 January 2023 to be effective. Non-U.K. domiciles may opt in to the claim by completing a form at www.gtrclaim.co.uk by 6 January 2023.

Class members who remain in the class or opt in will be bound by all judgments and orders in the proceedings and may be eligible to receive money, if any, is recovered.

The case is Case 1404: David Boyle v. Govia Thameslink Railway & Others. To learn more about the Claim, visit www.gtrclaim.co.uk or the Tribunal's website at https://www.catribunal.org.uk/cases/14047721-david-courtney-boyle.

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