Train services facing the axe are now saved

Planned cuts to services on the Chase Line from December have been scrapped after crisis talks.

Off peak services from Walsall to Rugeley and the evening service from Birmingham to Walsall were due to be halved.

But the services will now remain at two trains per hour from Monday to Saturday at the start of the new timetable, which is being introduced on December 13. Transport authority Centro had criticised train company London Midland saying it was letting passengers down.

But London Midland in turn said Centro missed out on an August deadline to provide funding for extra services which are not part of London Midland's franchise commitment.

Centro was adamant funding, believed to be around £750,000, was in place.

Now, following two weeks of meetings, a joint statement by Mike Haigh, business strategy director at London Midland and Nigel Pennington, director of rail and rapid transit at Centro has been released confirming the agreement.

It said: "We are pleased to reassure passengers that Chase Line rail services running between Birmingham, Walsall and Rugeley will continue to operate to the existing timetable beyond December.

"We understand how important the extra services that came in last December are to passengers and have worked closely together on the winter timetable to protect them and ensure they will continue unchanged.

"This includes the half hourly off peak frequency between Walsall and Rugeley Monday to Saturday, and the extra evening services which allow people to catch trains between Walsall, Rugeley and Birmingham to after 10pm."

Off-peak Monday to Saturday services on the Walsall to Rugeley line were enhanced last winter.

Trains were introduced every 30 minutes on what was formerly an hourly service, and trains now run later in the evening.

London Midland cancelled most of its Sunday services last month after drivers refused to volunteer for their shifts, balloting for industrial action.

Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant has pledged to continue to monitor London Midland train services in the wake of the cancellations.