London Midland loses West Midlands rail franchise

A new operator has won the contract to operate the next West Midlands rail franchise, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.

West Midlands Trains Ltd (a joint venture between Abellio, East Japan Railway Company and Mitsui & Co Ltd) has won the contract and will begin operating services from December.

London Midland has been operating train services since 2007. The franchise covers services across the West Midlands, as well as trains from London Euston to Crewe and from Liverpool to Birmingham.

Rail passengers are to get more frequent services with new trains and extra seats as a result of a near £1 billion investment in the West Midlands network.

The new operator will see more trains running between Birmingham and Shrewsbury with two services per hour from December 2018.

Under the new deal passengers will get:

- Free wifi on all main line services by the end of 2019
- For the first time compensation if services are delayed by more than 15 minutes
- Improved access for those requiring extra assistance, including disabled people
- Smart ticketing and live passenger information will also be rolled out under the deal, as part of a package of reforms that will improve journeys for passengers.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

"This is great news for passengers using West Midlands services – with new trains, more space, more regular services and easier access for disabled people.

"We are improving the whole travelling experience with live train crowding information, compensation for people delayed by 15 minutes or more, smart ticketing and better value tickets for part-time workers.

"This shows we are delivering on our commitment to build a railway that works for everyone."

Dominic Booth, Managing Director of Abellio UK, said:

"We are delighted to have been announced as preferred bidder for the West Midlands franchise, driving growth in one of the most exciting regions in the country. We will be investing nearly £1 billion into the network, delivering new trains, better stations and a whole host of other benefits for passengers.

"The trains running only in the West Midlands area will be jointly managed by the Department for Transport and West Midlands Rail (WMR), a consortium of 16 local councils.

Commenting on the announcement, London Midland managing director, Patrick Verwer, said:

“The new franchise will bring much welcomed investment in new services and extra capacity across the network. We congratulate the consortium on winning the franchise. Over the coming months our focus will remain on delivering the best possible service to our passengers, each day and every day. This approach is already producing high levels of customer satisfaction.

"We have created a strong foundation for the new operators to build on. During the months ahead we will continue to work with West Midlands Trains Ltd, the DfT and all our stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition into the new franchise.”