More compensation for train passengers across Cov & Warks

TRAIN passengers across Coventry, Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands are set to receive a discount on rail services - as a result of recent poor performance.

Passengers on certain West Midlands Trains services will receive a 10 per cent discount on certain summer services.

Bosses at the rail company have revealed that the discount will apply to walk-up fares for every off-peak journey made on West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern services throughout July and August.

They went on to say that a new campaign will be launched in the coming days to encourage customers to apply for delay repayment when entitled.

These measures follow the three per cent reduction in the cost of weekly, monthly and annual season tickets on the network, announced month.

The news comes as the National Rail Passenger Survey published on January 28 revealed a drop in overall passenger satisfaction.

The survey was carried out last autumn in the aftermath of a new timetable in May 2019 which resulted in an increased number of delays and cancellations across the region.

West Midlands Trains managing director Julian Edwards, who took the job earlier this month, said: “Our performance during the second half of last year was simply unacceptable.

“I’ve put in place a clear plan of improvements which is already having an impact.

“The number of trains arriving on time has increased by 29 per cent since Christmas with cancellations down by 39 per cent.

“Overall performance has increased by over 10 last per cent. There is more to do, however, and we are making further timetable changes to improve performance, starting next month - with a commitment to only use skipstopping as a last-resort and under extreme circumstances. This year we will also introduce brand-new trains on the network while working with the Mayor on reopening stations on the Camp Hill and Wolverhampton-Walsall lines.”