Inter-city rail deal criticised for just two extra carriages per day

A NEW West Midlands rail deal has been criticised for offering just two extra carriages a day.

Councillor Roger Lawrence, who leads Transport for the West Midlands, said he was disappointed by the £163 million Cross Country rail franchise deal.

The agreement, signed between the Government and Arriva to run the network of inter-city rail services, was a “lost opportunity” to boost passenger capacity, he said.

Cllr Lawrence said: “While the new deal will deliver some passenger benefits, such as slightly faster journeys to Manchester and improved wi-fi, we are deeply dis- appointed at the lack of additional capacity to meet growing passenger numbers. The promised 39,000 more seats per annum at peak times by December 2017 appears to equate to just 150 extra seats per day – or just two additional carriages – on the Edinburgh to Plymouth route through Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol.”

Cllr Lawrence said extra peak time capacity is desperately needed across the network.

“With many Cross Country trains full to standing on peak services into and out of Birmingham, this is a critical issue – especially as the next franchisee will not be in a position to introduce additional trains until the early 2020s,” he said. “The services are overcrowded now – we can’t wait until the next decade.”

He said the lack of capacity would strengthen the case for reopening the Camp Hill Chords line to Moor Street.

The West Midlands is due to award its own franchise to replace much of the London Midland service network, including the Cross City line, next year.

It is likely to include a new service from Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford to Birmingham from December 2018.