Free Wifi and compensation for passengers in new deal

Credit: PA.

Rail passengers are expected to be able to look forward to new longer trains with more seats and more space, along with a number of other, new benefits, following a £1billion investment in services on the West Midlands network.

There will be 400 new carriages by 2021 and space for an extra 85,000 people on rush hour services in Birmingham and London, with the longer trains expected to provide extra seats and space for passengers.

Under the deal with West Midlands Trains Ltd (a new joint venture between Abellio, East Japan Railway Company and Mitsui & Co Ltd) to run the West Midlands franchise, passengers will get free WiFi on all main line services by the end of 2019, and for the first time compensation if services are delayed by more than 15 minutes.

There will also be better access for other passengers and rail users including disabled people.

Smart ticketing and live passenger information will also be rolled out under the deal, as part of reforms that it is hoped will improve journeys for passengers.

The franchise covers services across the West Midlands, as well as trains from London Euston to Crewe and from Liverpool to Birmingham.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

The trains running only in the West Midlands area will be jointly managed by the Department for Transport and West Midlands Rail (WMR), a consortium of 16 local councils.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said:

The new contract will start in December and last until March 2026.

Other benefits for passengers in the franchise deal are expected to include:

  • More trains between Birmingham and Shrewsbury with two services per hour from December 2018

  • A regular two trains per hour service between Birmingham and Rugeley via the Chase Line from December 2018

  • A new, direct hourly service between Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent from December 2018 providing additional capacity

  • An extension of Cross-City line services from Longbridge to Bromsgrove

  • A new hourly shuttle between Leamington Spa and Coventry serving the new station at Kenilworth

  • Two morning and two evening rush hour direct services between Walsall and London from December 2018,

  • More Sunday services on the Cross-City line with the number of trains per hour between Longbridge and Birmingham doubling from two per hour to four in December 2018, and then increasing to six in May 2021

  • Increased Sunday services on the Snow Hill line with the number of trains per hour between Snow Hill and Stourbridge Junction increasing from two to six

  • A new Sunday service between Birmingham and Shrewsbury from December 2018, and a second train per hour introduced in May 2021