Six Southeastern services were cancelled earlier this week after suspected bedbugs were reported on trains between Kent and London. The incidents follow a series of similar reports involving the rail operator in September.
According to The Telegraph, insects believed to be bedbugs or similar were photographed between passenger seats on a City Beam train operating out of Slade Green Depot in Bexley. An internal email reportedly stated that a driver based in Hastings had spotted three suspected bedbugs on a poster near a train door, while a separate internal log referred to an “infestation” reported by an off-duty member of staff from the Kent Integrated Control Centre.
Train taken out of service
The affected train was taken out of service when it reached Dartford, causing knock-on cancellations, and the carriages remained out of service on Friday. However, inspectors later reported finding no evidence of bedbugs in the passenger areas.
Southeastern said there were no bedbugs found on the trains checked out this week, nor any other passenger areas of any trains. The operator told The Standard that the only two confirmed incidents involving bedbugs occurred in September, when the insects were discovered in drivers' cabs.
Operator insists no passenger-area bedbugs
The operator stressed that no bedbugs have been found in areas used by passengers despite a number of reported sightings. It said reports from members of the public had been investigated, but photos of insects had been identified as other species rather than bedbugs, with different insects being found as the weather turns colder.
The disruption follows a number of incidents involving suspected bedbugs on Southeastern trains in recent weeks. Two carriages were previously taken out of service after a driver reported finding the critters on board. In one incident, a driver reportedly requested a hazmat suit before entering a cab. Two services were later cancelled when the protective equipment was not available.
Union calls for action
Southeastern has disputed suggestions of a wider infestation, maintaining that only two drivers' cabs have required treatment. Steve White, managing director of Southeastern, said: “Two driver cabs (out of 800) have been treated and the furniture in a depot”.
The Transport Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) has called for action to address concerns from passengers and employees. Maryam Eslamdoust, the union's general secretary, said: “Passengers boarding trains should not have to worry about taking bedbugs home, and our transport workers deserve to feel safe at work. “It’s vital that train operators act quickly, thoroughly cleaning affected carriages and delivering professional pest treatment where needed. “Passengers and staff must have reassurance that the problem has been dealt with properly.”
David Wornham, Customer Experience Director at South Eastern Railway, said: “We are disappointed to read media reports that continue to imply that bedbugs are on our railway. “Despite a number of suspected sightings, found to be other insects, expert contractors have confirmed that there have been no bedbugs found on Southeastern trains in areas used by passengers. “That was the case two weeks ago and remains the case today.”
