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  Just Announced today
  
  The competition to operate rail services between London, Kent and parts of East Sussex has been cancelled, the government has said.
  
  The current incumbent, Southeastern, has been given a five-month extension to run the route until April 2020.
  
  Go-Ahead runs Southeastern with Koelis through their joint venture Govia.
  
  Go-Ahead chief executive David Brown said he was disappointed his firm's bid was not going to be considered by the Department for Transport.
  
  A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We have taken the decision to cancel the South Eastern franchise competition.
  
  "This follows significant concerns that continuing the competition process would lead to additional costs incurred to the taxpayer, with no certainty that this would deliver envisaged benefits for passengers in a timely fashion."
  
  The spokesperson said the department would "use this period to develop a solution that delivers the capacity and performance benefits that passengers are expecting".
  
  It will also allow the government to ensure that the recommendations of the review being conducted by the former boss of British Airways, Keith Williams, in to the railways, are taken into account.

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