Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to improve the frequency and speed of rail services between Telford and Birmingham.

Services between Telford and Birmingham are supplied by more than one operator; London Midland and Arriva Trains Wales. Their Franchise Agreements state the minimum service provision of the train operator to protect service provision for passengers. This sees both providing hourly services Monday to Friday and where reasonable, these shall be timed with the other operator to promote a half hourly service.

Whilst the train operators cannot run fewer services than are stipulated (nor simply remove a station stop or two as this could mean that the minimum specifications for those removed station stops are not met), if the train operators believe that the demand exists for additional services (which may have quicker journey times) and they have the rolling stock, staff availability and they can obtain the required track access rights, there is nothing to stop them from running more frequent services. My Hon Friend, may wish to contact the operators to explore what options may be available to achieve quicker journeys in the short-term*.

Local Councils can also help specify and fund transport solutions if they decide that this is the best way to meet local transport needs. In doing so, they would discuss the feasibility of the scheme with Network Rail and the train operator(s). If the scheme is feasible and represents value for money, the Council would need to be prepared to fund the cost from sources which are available for transport investment.

The Department is aware of stakeholder aspirations for improvements in and to the service provision between Telford and Birmingham. As part of the competition for the new long term franchises for this route, public consultations will be opened to help inform the specification for those franchises.

*Arriva Trains Wales contact email:customer.relations@arrivatrainswales.co.uk; London Midland contact email: http://www.londonmidland.com/contact/contact-us/contact-form/