Outrage over claims on cancelled trains
A rail company's claim that it cannot guarantee to run services as normal until mid-December is "unacceptable", MPs and passengers said today.
London Midland has blamed problems on losing "an unusually high number" of drivers.
More than 30 services were cancelled last week in one day. Passenger group the Campaign for Rail is demanding the company runs services as advertised. But in a statement on its website London Midland said it expected to be running a normal daily service again from mid-December.
The RMT trade union said 31 drivers had recently left the company.
Passengers only get updates about changes on the day, even though rotas are worked out in advance.
Three trains from Kidderminster were cancelled yesterday due to staff shortages. Kevin Chapman, secretary of the Campaign for Rail, said: "The company has advised that these cancellations have been due to staff shortages.
"Our group considers this to be unacceptable, given that passengers are paying hundreds of pounds a year for the services for the company, which also receives significant support from the Department for Transport."
Pat McFadden, MP for Wolverhampton South East, said: "It's ridiculous that passengers should be asked to put up with a sub-standard service for two months. The company's staff training plan should be a lot better."
Richard Brooks, commercial director at London Midland, said: "We apologise for the fact that we have not been able to deliver our full service at certain times recently.
"We will continue to provide service updates via lon donmidland.com, at our stations and via the National Rail Enquiries Service on telephone 08457 484 950."
The Campaign for Rail is compiling a dossier of problems with the service and has asked people to email, in confidence, to campaign for rail@gmail.com
