Rail services hit by chaos
Around 60 rail services were being cancelled or disrupted today due to a shortage of train drivers.
London Midland has been having to give daily updates about its services since the start of October.
Today dozens of services were being axed, starting later or finishing early and the problem is expected to continue until well into December. It comes after around 60 services were affected yesterday.
London Midland faced calls to be stripped of its lines between Kidderminster and Stratford-on-Avon and between Wolverhampton and Birmingham as well as services to Rugeley and Lichfield in Staffordshire.
The company has taken on new drivers but has yet to complete their training following a "high turnover of staff".
Richard Brooks, commercial director at London Midland, said: "Although we are continuing to recruit and train drivers, we will experience shortages in the meantime.
"To minimise potential disruptions to our regular services, we will be giving passengers more advance notice, of up to 48 hours, of any changes.
"We believe this will provide passengers with more certainty, will enable better journey planning and improve the travel experience. We apologise for any inconveniences."
Kevin Chapman of the Campaign for Better Transport said: "This is appalling. London Midland should have had procedures in place to recruit and train its drivers in time." Services being cancelled today included the 3.31pm Walsall-Wolverhampton via Birmingham service, the 7.17pm Birmingham New Street to Rugeley Trent Valley and the 8.35pm Rugeley Trent Valley to New Street.
