PERSHORE’S MP Harriett Baldwin will be holding crisis talks with the Birmingham commuter train operator following a series of broken promises which have left commuters fuming.
The MP returned to Westminster this week and has scheduled an urgent call with the managing director of West Midlands Trains to discuss poor performance in recent months.
And she has called on local people to get in touch to pass on their concerns about the poor performance by the company – especially on peak commuter services in and out of Birmingham.
Services have been cancelled because of a lack of drivers and trains ending up in the wrong place – meaning extra capacity promises have been broken.
“The rail operator punished local commuters in the summer by withdrawing capacity and removing carriages from the line, making commuter journeys cramped and uncomfortable,” Mrs Baldwin said.
“Following a meeting with the company, it pledged to source extra rolling stock to return capacity to acceptable levels.
“However, it is clear that owing to poor management, this was not done effectively, and I am still getting messages from commuters who are as unhappy as I am with the company.
“We keep hearing stories of ‘jam tomorrow’ with extra trains being lined up for the route but these measures only get us to where we were before the summer service reduction.
“I’m going to have a frank chat with the company and then pass on my concerns to the Department for Transport. We must have urgent remedial action and a clear vision to deliver on the extra capacity promises they made to win the franchise.”
