New services head West Midlands Rail agenda
THERE will be ‘big wins’ on offer for passengers under the new West Midlands rail franchise when West Midlands Trains takes over from London Midland on December 10.
That is the pledge from West Midlands Rail Programme Director Malcolm Holmes, who says that unlike the London Midland franchise, West Midlands Trains (WMT) will operate under two separate brands - London Northwestern and West Midlands Railway. And for the latter, it will be jointly accountable to the Department for Transport and West Midlands Rail.
West Midlands Rail (WMR, a partnership of 16 local authorities) is then expected to be granted full franchising authority by the DfT when the franchise is re-let in March 2026.
Speaking at the second annual transport-led Development in the Midlands conference in Birmingham on November 14, Holmes told delegates that this partly devolved arrangement would enable WMR and WMT to work in close partnership on delivering targeted improvements to local services.
“We’re very excited to be working with WMT, as we got lots of big wins out of the franchise in terms of the specification and the local benefits it will bring,” he said.
“This enables us to launch a single brand identity for West Midlands Railway, which we’ve never had before, and will help the operator and us to promote and market local services using dedicated funds.
“The DfT’s approach to franchising has often been that one-size-fits-all. But that doesn’t feel right anymore, as what’s right for the East Coast franchise isn’t necessarily right for here. It requires a different approach and, even though the new franchise hasn’t started, we’re already looking at what model will fit in the longer term.
“The planets have very much aligned to give us greater power, and we have a new mayor and the West Midlands Combined Authority all driving to deliver strategic change while Network Rail itself is pursuing its own devolution strategy to make these links even closer.”
The new franchise is expected to deliver more than £1 billion worth of improvements, including timetable adjustments and new and refurbished rolling stock to provide an extra 20,000 seats for rush hour passengers into Birmingham.
There will be an extension of services between Coventry and Nuneaton to Leamington Spa, Birmingham-Wolverhampton services to Crewe via Tamworth and Stafford, and cross-city services to Bromsgrove.
Meanwhile, half-hourly services will be introduced between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury, a new compensation scheme launched, and universal provision of WiFi by 2019. Sunday services will be increased to match frequencies on Saturdays, and more trains will run after 1900.
WMR is also undertaking feasibility studies to open seven new stations in the region, and to reinstate passenger services on the Wolverhampton-Walsall line which is currently freight-only.
Holmes said that further benefits would be delivered by a new West Midlands Stations Alliance between WMR, NR and operators, while efforts would be made to introduce smart ticketing and a new fares structure across the region.
He explained: “There is currently little fare-box incentive to look after many stations in the long term, so we’ve put together an alliance. I’m excited to see what it will bring, as it is unique to the UK and is being closely watched by Network Rail, which has supported it at a very senior level.
“Ticketing is a subject we want to work on in the longer term with the operator. The structure is essentially ossified from the 1990s, which makes it difficult to make a system that works for local areas. We have fare setting powers as part of our relationship with the DfT, and we want to use them to create a structure that is more appropriate. This will be a big challenge, but one that we look forward to.”