£7 million benefit package for rail passengers

Passengers hit by delays and cancellations on London Midland services are to get a £7 million package of benefits.

Repeated staff shortages have led to serious disruption for many weeks on London Midland services.

The Transport Minister Norman Baker, has announced that London Midland season ticket holders will be given five days of free travel passes.

There will also be 500,000 additional cheap advance tickets on key network routes in London, Birmingham, Northampton, Crewe and Liverpool.

A commitment has also been made to invest in infrastructure improvements.

The free tickets will be available to all monthly and annual season ticket holders, as well as to weekly ticket holders who have been affected by disruption.

The government also said London Midland will spend millions of pounds improving the resilience of their trains and will invest at least £2.25 million on a range of measures to benefit passengers. These will be primarily in the West Midlands, where the worst disruption was experienced.