Chase Line rail users benefit from £250,000 improvement scheme

RAIL passengers using the Chase Line service in Staffordshire and Walsall now have automatic ticket machines at every station on the route between Birmingham, Walsall and Rugeley.

The final two machines have now been installed at Bloxwich North and Landywood stations which means for the first time there are now ticket buying facilities at all stops on the route.

The machines are part of a joint project between public transport co-ordinator Centro and train operator London Midland to upgrade stations across the region.

Under the Transforming Rail Travel agreement, Centro has made more than £250,000 available for station improvements and London Midland has carried out the work.

Some of that money has been used to install the ticket machines at Bloxwich, Bloxwich North, Landywood and Rugeley Town stations.

Centro’s lead member for rail and Metro, Cllr Roger Horton, said: “These improvements will make a tangible difference to passengers and make it even easier to take the train.

“This, in turn, will help reduce the road congestion that is costing our regional economy more than £2bn a year.”

Mark Goodall, London Midland’s Head of Route for Cross City and Chase Line Services added: “This is great news for passengers travelling from Landywood and Bloxwich North.

“I know that passengers find the automatic ticket machines quick and easy to use, so it’s great we’ve been able to work with Centro to deliver these improvements.”  
Although Landywood and Rugeley Town are outside the metropolitan West Midlands, Centro said it considered them important stops in the wider journey-to-work area.
As a result Centro has previously contributed £900,000 to a separate package of improvements to stations along the Chase Line.

This has included upgraded waiting shelters, passenger information screens and CCTV security cameras.

This summer Centro also put £145,000 towards the £195,000 cost of continuing to provide extra Saturday and evening services on the Chase Line until March 2016. Staffordshire County Council and Cannock Chase District Council covered the remainder of the cost.

Meanwhile Network Rail is continuing with a £36m electrification project on the line.

This will provide the opportunity for faster, more frequent journeys using less polluting electric trains.