Better rail network will support West Midlands investment say business leaders

Business and civic leaders across the West Midlands have voiced their approval of award of the new rail franchise for the region and the £1bn investment it promises.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “For years, people across the West Midlands have been calling for more investment in the train network to improve efficiency and reduce delays. (This) news is an important milestone in delivering those asks.

“As part of the wider devolution deal, it is great to see local franchises given the chance to use their local knowledge to implement improvements and a form a transport strategy which will create better connections across the country and also bring closer integration to other forms of transport in our region such as light rail and buses.

“Having a first rate transport system will help to attract new investment to the area and unlock the region’s true economic potential.”

The new franchise operator is West Midlands Trains – a joint venture between Abellio, East Japan Railway Company and Mitsui & Co Ltd.

Cllr Roger Lawrence, chair of West Midlands Rail (WMR) – the body responsible for the service in the region – and leader of the City of Wolverhampton Council, said many months of preparation had gone into the award of the franchise.

“We have spent many months working closely with the DfT on developing a franchise deal that can bring tangible improvements for passengers, particularly in terms of the frequency and capacity of their services,” he said.

“It’s important to remember that tens of thousands of people rely on this local network to not only get to work each day but to undertake wider business trips and enjoy the cultural and leisure attractions of our region.

“This deal, together with the significant transport infrastructure set to be built in the West Midlands, will help ensure we have efficient train services that connect with the rest of the wider bus and tram network and, of course, the forthcoming high speed rail line. That will underpin economic growth and the new jobs being created in our region.”

Cllr Mark Winnington, vice chair of WMR and Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for economic growth, added: “All successful economies have a fast and efficient transport network at their heart.

“The deal announced can help ensure we have a network that can better support the regional economy while delivering services that are focussed on the real needs of passengers.”

Jointly coordinating the franchise will be the Department for Transport and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the tendering for the new franchise had been done with the sole purpose of improving the service to passengers.

“We are improving the whole travelling experience with live train crowding information, compensation for people delayed by 15 minutes or more, smart ticketing and better value tickets for part-time workers,” he said.

With any award, there are losers just as much as there are winners.

One the consortia beaten is joint venture Govia, a partnership comprising Go-Ahead (65%) and Keolis (35%), and the current operator of the franchise.

Go-Ahead, the parent of London Midland, was quick to demand its service record but what the future holds for the operator is unclear.

Go-Ahead chief executive, David Brown, said: “London Midland and its people have been part of our group’s rail business for ten years. In that time we have delivered significant improvements across the entire network which have seen London Midland transformed into an award-winning franchise with high levels of employee engagement and customer satisfaction.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in London Midland for their hard work and contribution to the company’s successes.”

To show there was no bitterness, London Midland offered its congratulations to the new franchise, saying it would pave the way for investment in the network.

London Midland managing director, Patrick Verwer, said: “The new franchise will bring much welcomed investment in new services and extra capacity across the network. We congratulate the consortium on winning the franchise.

“Over the coming months our focus will remain on delivering the best possible service to our passengers, each day and every day. This approach is already producing high levels of customer satisfaction.

“We have created a strong foundation for the new operators to build on. During the months ahead we will continue to work with West Midlands Trains Ltd, the DfT and all our stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition into the new franchise.”

Govia will continue to operate the current contract until December 2017.