A deal to maintain rail services for West Midlands passengers has been completed and will come into force tomorrow (Saturday 1 April).
The franchise extension agreement has been signed by Central Trains, the Department for Transport and regional body Centro-PTA. It will maintain existing service levels on Birmingham’s busy Cross City Line and protects the rail link between Walsall and Wolverhampton, as well as other service standards across the region. The DfT has also introduced new terms to encourage improvements in performance.
"Ever since the Transport Secretary Alistair Darling announced a shake up of rail franchises, we have been lobbying hard to make sure services in the West Midlands are protected,” says Centro-PTA chairman Cllr Gary Clarke.
There had been fears that the Department for Transport would cut back on the grants it gives Centro to support local rail services. Last year a Strategic Rail Authority study recommended the Black Country rail link should be scrapped and the DfT had also asked to be given costings for a reduced frequency on the Birmingham Cross City Line.
The West Midlands has now been spared these cuts – at least for the next eighteen months. Councillors said it would be inappropriate for the Government to be reducing public transport options at the same time that it is hoping to tackle congestion on the roads.
A new set of rail franchises will come into force after November 2007, one of which will be a new West Midlands franchise providing local rail services and links to London.
“The new West Midlands rail franchise is a great opportunity – but clearly we need to keep up the pressure to make sure Government provides the necessary funding to deliver a new focus on West Midlands rail needs, including more capacity to accommodate continued growth in patronage,” adds Cllr Clarke.
The West Midlands has experienced significant rail growth in recent years – faster than the national average. One in five commuters into Birmingham use the train and the on-going developments in the city centre will continue to drive up rail usage.
