London Midland passengers compensated for service failure

LONDON Midland rail passengers who suffered cancelled services and delays  will receive free travel passes and cheap tickets following government intervention.

Season tickets holders with the troubled franchise will be given five days worth of free travel passes under a £7m package of benefits. The Government has also secured 500,000 additional cheap advance tickets for passengers on key network routes serving London, Birmingham, Northampton, Crewe and Liverpool and a commitment to invest in infrastructure improvements.
 
Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “London Midland has cancelled or delayed hundreds of services in recent months. On repeated occasions, they were not able to provide enough drivers and some services had to be cancelled, with severe delays to services, and they have fallen short both of everyone’s expectations and their franchise obligations.
 
“Securing these benefits for passengers represents a firm yellow-card for London Midland and some financial benefit for those who have been hardest hit by their poor performance.
 
“I am confident London Midland has now rectified their driver shortage but the company need to be clear that we will continue to monitor their performance closely and take firmer action if necessary.”
 
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, while the additional Advance tickets will be available over the next two years to passengers planning to travel on key London Midland routes.
 
The deal that has been struck will also confirm the end date of the franchise as September 2015, ensuring that London Midland is given sufficient time to resolve these problems on a permanent basis.
 
London Midland will also spend millions of pounds improving the resilience of their trains and will invest at least £2.25m on a range of measures to benefit passengers – primarily in the West Midlands, where the worst disruption was experienced.

London Midland owner, Go-Ahead Group said: “Following a period of consultation over the last couple of months, London Midland has agreed a package of benefits with the Department for Transport to compensate passengers for cancelled trains and delays to services.

“We acknowledge the impact that this has had on our passengers and we have now put measures in place to ensure we have sufficient drivers to operate our services.

“We also welcome the confirmation that the London Midland franchise has been extended until September 2015 which gives us the opportunity to provide longer term investment in our services for the passengers’ benefit.”