West Midlands Trains has welcomed efforts by the UK rail industry to encourage jobseekers to participate in schemes allowing discounted travel to and from interviews and work. The train operator also says it has more plans in the pipeline to help those seeking employment.
Network Rail is investigating an issue with the track between Hereford and Ledbury. Trains can continue to run between Birmingham and Ledbury but there will also be some cancellations and delays between Worcester and Ledbury.
Following damage to the overhead line equipment near Sutton Coldfield, there will be no trains between Lichfield/Four Oaks and Birmingham New Street until further notice. Alternative road transport is being provided between Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield; rail tickets are being accepted on National Express West Midlands buses between Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham city centre.
London Northwestern Railway (LNR) and West Midlands Railway (WMR) are advising passengers to travel early to avoid delays. Ticket restrictions have been lifted to help travel early. Severe weather is affecting all LNR and WMR routes. The train companies say passengers can expect disruption and cancellations for the remainder of the day.
Customers encouraged to check before they travel with reduced services on Birmingham's Cross City Line, to and from Worcester and Hereford, and between St Albans and Watford.
West Midlands Trains is getting behind a government drive to encourage more young people to get into engineering. The engineering industry estimates it will need 186,000 skilled recruits each year to 2024. The company is investing £70 million in train maintenance facilities. The extra facilities will be needed to support £700 million worth of new trains on order for the two networks.
The railway between London Euston and the northwest has reopened on time after a successful programme of upgrades over Christmas and the New Year. As part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, work was carried out from London to Lancaster and across the West Midlands as tracks were renewed, signals were upgraded and whole bridges replaced over Christmas Day, Boxing Day and into the New Year.
West Midlands Trains has pledged its support to making the Birmingham Commonwealth Games the ‘best ever’. Almost £1 billion being invested in rail services before the games.
Local train operator, West Midlands Railway, is advising passengers to check before they travel over the Christmas and New Year period. Track upgrade work and different travel patterns means changes to timetables over the festive period. However this year train operators are reminding commuters that some timetable changes will still be in effect after the holidays on January 2.
Train customers in the West Midlands are being urged to plan journeys in advance and allow extra time over the festive period while work takes place to make the railway more reliable.
Abellio, JR East and Mitsui have today finalised their deal with Bombardier Trains and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) to manufacture 107 new trains for the new West Midlands franchise, which commenced this Sunday. The financing is being led by Corelink Rail Infrastructure, a joint venture between Infracapital and Deutsche Asset Management.
Today marks the start of the £1 billion investment into the West Midlands franchise network by West Midlands Trains (WMT), a joint venture between Abellio, JR East and Mitsui.