FREE TRAVEL FOR LONDON MIDLAND PASSENGERS
Published at 12:20 on Thursday 20th December 2012
Tags: London Midland, DfT, Government, Disruption
The additional tickets will benefit passengers across the entire London Midland network. Just south of Blakedown, London Midland's Class 172 No. 172333 forms the 13:09 Dorridge to Kidderminster service on 3rd November 2012. Stuart Warr
Rail passengers who suffered cancelled services and delays last year will receive free travel passes and cheap tickets the Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced.
London Midland season ticket holders will be given five days worth of free travel passes under a £7 million package of benefits. The Government says it has also secured 500,000 additional cheap advance tickets for passengers on key network routes serving London, Birmingham, Northampton, Crewe and Liverpool and a commitment to invest in infrastructure improvements.
Norman Baker said: “London Midland has cancelled or delayed hundreds of services in recent months. On repeated occasions, they were not able to provide enough drivers and some services had to be cancelled, with severe delays to services, and they have fallen short both of everyone’s expectations and their franchise obligations."
The Minister added that he was confident that London Midland has now rectified its driver shortage but that the company will continue to be monitored on its performance.
The free tickets will be available to all monthly and annual season ticket holders, as well as to weekly ticket holders who have been affected by disruption, while the additional Advance tickets will be available over the next two years to passengers planning to travel on key London Midland routes.
The deal that has been struck will also confirm the end date of the franchise as September 2015, ensuring that London Midland is given sufficient time to resolve these problems on a permanent basis.
London Midland will also invest in improving the resilience of its trains and will invest at least £2.25 million on a range of measures to benefit passengers - primarily in the West Midlands, where the worst disruption was experienced.
The 500,000 additional cheaper advance tickets will be issued over and above those issued in the last year and will be for travel during 2013 and 2014. The tickets will be available on key routes including London-Birmingham, London-Crewe, London-Northampton and Birmingham-Liverpool.
