Chiltern delays launch of super-fast Mainline service to London

CHILTERN Railways is to delay the launch of its much heralded Mainline service between Birmingham and London following fears about overrunning engineering works disrupting services.

The service, which follows a £250m investment in the Mainline, had been due to begin in May and the company even held a ceremony at Moor Street Station earlier this month to unveil a clock counting down the 100 days until the launch of the fast train link.

The announcement, late on Friday, that the service is being put back until late summer is a major blow to the credibility of the rail company, which last week claimed it was a viable alternative to Virgin Trains and the West Coast Mainline service between New Street and Euston.

It had even begun marketing the route to businesses in Birmingham, trying to persuade them it was a real competitor to Virgin.

In a statement, the company said: “Chiltern Railways has announced that, to reduce the risk of unplanned disruption to passengers, it will defer the launch of the Chiltern Mainline to late summer.  

“This decision has been taken following a thorough review of its Evergreen 3 project which highlighted a risk of overrunning engineering works in May if the works proceeded as planned.  

“Rather than risk unplanned disruption or late notice timetable changes, the company will move a section of works to utilise the quieter month of August, thereby ensuring passengers are not affected by unexpected disruption that may impact on their work or home life in the busy month of May.”

Chiltern Railways chairman Adrian Shooter said the company was disappointed but believed delaying the launch was the right thing to do.

“We are undertaking this project to offer a better service to passengers and are keen for customers to see the benefits of our investment as soon as possible,” he said.

“However, we are not comfortable with a risk of our passengers experiencing unplanned disruption and would rather spread the work over a slightly longer period and enable our passengers to plan their journeys with confidence.

“We are sorry that we are not able to offer the improved service from May as planned, but it will be ready when commuters get back from their summer break.”