Train changes a "shambles", says Mayoral candidate

The operator says the changes, due to come in from next week, have been brought forward in an attempt to improve performance following a disastrous 2019 which saw West Midlands Mayor Andy Street threaten to ask the Government to strip it of the rail franchise.

Some off-peak trains heading towards Liverpool will no longer stop at Coseley on weekdays, while other off-peak services heading towards Stoke and Crewe will no longer call at Smethwick Galton Bridge on weekdays. Stops at Jewellery Quarter will also be reduced.

Mr Street has been critical of what he has called 'station skipping', where some calling points have been missed in order to reduce delays, leaving passengers stranded on the platform, and has called for it to stop.

Liam Byrne, who will be the Labour candidate taking on Mr Street at the May election, called the changes a "shambles". He also criticised his election opponent for holding off on his threat over the franchise.

The Mayor, however, has been clear that WMT has shown enough improvement to be able to continue operating the franchise for now.

Mr Byrne said: "This is frankly a shambles - all because our Tory Mayor Andy Street has given our failing train service a green light to get worse. Cutting services to Coseley, Smethwick and the Jewellery Quarter is simply going to force more people into their cars and onto our gridlocked roads.

"We need a properly staffed, locally controlled service that actually meets the needs of the West Midlands commuters and helps us deliver a zero carbon transport system."

WMT says cancellations are down 80 per cent and the number of trains arriving on time has risen from 68.1 per cent in November to 83.1 per cent in January. It’s understood performance during the school half-term, the first real test for the company since Mr Street held off on his threat, was mostly positive.