Southeastern cancels trains after bed bugs found in carriages and cabs
Southeastern has cancelled services after bed bugs were found in carriages and driver cabs at a depot near Hastings, with drivers refusing to board affected trains.
How it was covered
- GB News was the only channel found covering it.
- Channel 5, BBC News, BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, ITV and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
Southeastern train services have been cancelled after an infestation of bed bugs was found in carriages. Staff discovered the insects crawling inside carriages, and the operator removed affected trains from its schedules. The outbreak was reported at West Marina Train Care Depot near Hastings, which serves routes between London and Kent.
Drivers found bed bugs in their cabs and on their bags, according to reports. Some refused to board the affected trains. One driver reportedly refused to enter a cab because it contained so many bed bugs unless he was given a full white body protection suit, amid concern the insects could transfer to him. One train has been nicknamed the Bed Bug Express.
The disruption has renewed concerns about cleanliness and pest control on the rail network. Bed bugs are hard to eradicate, and public transport is often cited as a way for them to spread. Passengers on Southeastern services now face cancelled trains and questions over how quickly the carriages can be deep cleaned. There have also been suggestions that seats may need to be removed to clear an infestation.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| A driver refused to enter a cab without a full white protective suit because of the number of bed bugs. | |
| Southeastern removed trains from service after bed bugs were found in carriages. | |
| The bed bug outbreak was centred at West Marina Train Care Depot near Hastings on the London to Kent route. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
GB News covered the story as a late-night opinion item, mixing the basic facts with outrage about the state of UK infrastructure. It focused on the Southeastern cancellations, the Hastings depot, driver cabs and the reported refusal to board, while also suggesting the reaction could be an excuse for staff not to work. The segment added personal anecdotes and a wider claim that public transport spreads bed bugs.
- “Trains have been cancelled because they've been infested with bed bugs.”
- “Another damning indictment about the state of Britain's infrastructure.”
- “I do think it's just another excuse for train and tube drivers to not go to work, though, to be fair.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.