The ill-fated collective proceedings over allegedly unlawfully inflated fares on the London to Brighton rail line have been decertified by the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The claim, filed in 2021, had a turbulent history including the death of the original class representative and a court battle between would-be replacements. 

Boyle v Govia Thameslink Railway has been stayed since June last year when the original class representative, David Courtney Boyle, died from Parkinson's disease. A judgment published by the CAT this month reveals that no new class representative has emerged and the collective proceedings order has been revoked. 

An update on the GTR Collective Proceedings website informs potential claimants that the proceedings have been decertified on the basis of a CAT order in April. A hearing to determine the parties' costs has been adjourned for the next available date after 6 November. 'Please note this website will be closed shortly,' the update concludes. 

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An attempt to revive the claim was announced in November last year when class-action pioneer Walter Merricks CBE announced plans to step in as class representative. However Merricks withdrew his application in January after failing to secure after-the-event insurance. In May he was ordered to make an interim payment of £70,000 towards costs incurred by the defendants because of the intervention. 

A GTR spokesperson said: 'GTR welcomes the end of the proceedings. We have always been clear that we acted lawfully and fairly towards our passengers.'