13/01/2016 - Permalink

Have your say: rail services in the next West Midlands franchise

Related topics: Community / Partner organisations

News from our partners West Midlands Rail

The Department for Transport and West Midlands Rail (representing 14 partner authorities of the West Midlands area, including Shropshire Council) are seeking your views on the future of rail services and stations provided in the next West Midlands rail franchise, which starts in October 2017.

This includes all the rail services and stations currently run by London Midland. They operate a range of services including:

  • Services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street
  • Long distance services between Birmingham and London, between Liverpool, Crewe and Birmingham, and between Crewe and London
  • West Midlands regional services, eg Worcester Shrub Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon, and local services, eg Birmingham New Street to Walsall
  • Commuter services between Northampton and London, including branch lines from Bedford and St Albans Abbey.

We are now starting the process to select a rail company to run and develop these services and stations from October 2017.

While we would like your views on all areas of the rail service offered through the West Midlands franchise, there is a particular focus in the consultation on:

  • Comfort on board
  • Making sure services meet the needs of passengers, reflecting changes to travel patterns and local developments
  • The whole journey experience, including connections between rail services and walking, cycling, bus and tram
  • Making the railway easier to use for all
  • Information, especially during times of disruption
  • Safety and security
  • Paying for your journey, including fares, ticket types and ticketless travel
  • Stations
  • Community involvement
  • Customer experience
  • Local ownership and identity.

Any questions? Pop along and see us at one of our public events:

Wolverhampton railway station – Thursday 14 January 2016 from 3.30pm to 6pm
Shrewsbury railway station – Tuesday 19 January 2016 from 3.30pm to 6pm
Watford Junction railway station – Wednesday 20 January from 3.30pm to 6pm
Lichfield City railway station – Friday 22 January from 3.30pm to 6pm
Stoke-on-Trent railway station – Tuesday 26 January from 3.30pm to 6pm
Coventry railway station – Wednesday 3 February from 3.30pm to 6pm
Birmingham Snow Hill railway station – Tuesday 9 February from 11am to 1.30pm
Birmingham New Street railway station (under the main information screens opposite Pret A Manger) – Tuesday 9 February from 3.30pm to 6pm
London Euston railway station (under the main information screens) – Friday 12 February from 3.30pm to 6pm
Crewe railway station – Tuesday 16 February from 3pm to 5.30pm
Stafford railway station – Thursday 18 February from 3.30pm to 6pm
Northampton railway station – Wednesday 24 February from 10am to 12.30pm
Worcester Foregate Street railway station – Wednesday 24 February from 3.30pm to 6pm
Walsall railway station – Tuesday 1 March from 3.30pm to 6pm
Liverpool Lime Street railway station – Wednesday 9 March from 3pm to 5.30pm.

The full consultation document and online questionnaire are available at bit.ly/west-midlands-franchise.

If you need an alternative format of the document or questionnaire please contact us on 0300 330 3000 (switchboard).

The consultation ends at 11.45pm on 22 March 2016. Please ensure your response reaches us before the closing date.

Further information

West Midlands Rail includes Birmingham City Council, Coventry City Council, Dudley MBC, Herefordshire Council, Northamptonshire County Council, Sandwell MBC, Shropshire Council, Solihull MBC, Staffordshire County Council, Telford and Wrekin Council, Walsall MBC, Warwickshire County Council, Wolverhampton City Council and Worcestershire County Council.