WATCH: Passengers give train service wish list after London Midland lose rail franchise

Commuters and regular travellers welcomed a planned £1billion investment in the rail network when new firm West Midlands Trains Ltd takes over later this year.

Many people travelling from Wolverhampton Railway Station claimed the present service was not up to standard and urged bosses to make improvements.

West Midlands Trains Ltd is a joint venture between Dutch company Abellio, along with Japanese duo East Japan Railway Company and Mitsui & Co.

And passengers said that they hope it can be a positive step forward for services in the future.

Gavin Williams, a 55-year-old conference call event manager, said bosses must look at improving facilities on-board trains

"General cleanliness of the trains, modernise the rolling stock because there are still some older trains out there, more facilities with people with bikes or wheelchairs and pushchairs," he said.

"There is not much in the way of space for people with larger pieces of luggage."

Pensioner Edith Bailey, 74, from Wolverhampton, said: "As I travel quite frequently, I could get on but I was cramped into a little space and could not get in.

"I always found people were helpful because I am old so they will make some space."

HR advisor Debra Dutton, 56, from Hednesford, said: "I will only miss it as a brand but hopefully there will be some improvements so it should be good, hopefully it is a positive thing.

"London Midland have not made any improvements in the last 10 years really that I have been using it.

New Cross Hospital nurse Katie McGill, 30, from Coseley, said she hoped services would not deteriorate when the franchise transfers from a British-backed company:

"I use it quite a lot because I work at New Cross so it has been very good so far," she said.

"It is a shame really if it is going from a British-owned company to a foreign one but we will have to see."

Sedgley resident, David Hobday, 67, added: "It is a shame it is not connected to the English services but that is the state of the world these days.

"You tend to get companies all over the world investing in other countries.

"If it is an improvement, I am all for it."

Joanna Elson, a 46-year-old nurse from Hednesford, said: "It is very difficult at the moment because I am spending about 6 hours a day travelling so I am visiting someone in hospital and visiting is only an hour and a half and I spend six hours to get there and to get back so it is very tiring."