Move to install new boss at West Midlands Trains fails to impress Street
Julian Edwards has been named as the new managing director of West Midlands Trains (WMT).
Edwards has been a director of WMT since 2017 – and more recently the managing director of East Midlands Railway during the recent launch of the new franchise. The current MD of West Midlands Trains, Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, will work alongside Edwards until Easter.
Edwards said: “This is an exciting time to be joining WMT as passengers will start to see the benefits of our £1 billion investment programme. The last six months has been very difficult for West Midlands Trains. I would like to thank Jan for addressing many of the issues, including settling the dispute with the RMT, delivering a 3% discount for season ticket holders, introducing more rolling stock in December and the recent timetable changes that are already making a positive impact on train performance.
“There is still much to do. Work is well advanced on further performance improvements, the May 2020 timetable, additional compensation for non-season ticket holders and the roll out of two brand new train fleets starting in the second half of this year. The introduction of our new trains combined with the investment programme in stations and customer services and the much needed changes to timetables in 2020 gives us the opportunity, to have a railway the people of West Midlands Trains and our customers can be proud of.”
Meanwhile, West Midlands mayor Andy Street has reacted to the change in management by reiterating his promise to ask the Government to relieve West Midlands Trains of its franchise following poor performance.
He tweeted: “Chaudhry-van der Velde, Julian Edwards, or both in charge, if a reliable
service is not restored by midnight on January 31 then my request to remove the franchise from West Midlands Trains will be sent to the DfT. 18 days to go.”
In December, Street called for his office to become responsible for West Midlands Trains (WMT) following the operator’s recent “woeful” performance.
He warned that he will call on the Department for Transport to remove Abellio from the franchise if “WMT do not restore a reliable service by midnight on January 31 2020”.
Street said: “The service currently being provided by West Midlands Trains is, quite simply, woeful.
“The problems on our region’s railways have been dragging on for months and, despite many promises from WMT, show no sign of improving.”
