Train operator apologises for leaving passengers stranded across station platforms across Warwickshire

There were timetable and staffing issues which left passengers stranded last year
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A leading figure at West Midlands Trains has apologised for timetable and staffing problems that left passengers stranded on station platforms across Warwickshire last year.

But he insisted that changes had been made to make sure there would be no repeat of the mayhem.

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Jonny Wiseman, the customer experience director for West Midlands Trains, was speaking to members of Warwickshire County Council’s communities overview & scrutiny committee which was held virtually this week [WED].

West Midlands Trains has apologised for timetable and staffing problems that left passengers stranded on station platforms across Warwickshire last year.West Midlands Trains has apologised for timetable and staffing problems that left passengers stranded on station platforms across Warwickshire last year.
West Midlands Trains has apologised for timetable and staffing problems that left passengers stranded on station platforms across Warwickshire last year.

As part of a briefing on changes and updates to West Midlands Railway, Cllr Dave Shilton (Con, Kenilworth Park Hill) explained how commuters were left disappointed by last year’s troubles.

He said: “It was because of staff shortages - drivers, guards - that is not acceptable and how can you assure us that it won’t happen again. People were waiting on the stations at Nuneaton, Leamington and particularly Kenilworth for a long, long time.”

Mr Wiseman outlined a number of management changes over the last few months before adding: “None of us want to repeat a year like last year.

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“We let customers down with a timetable that was undeliverable and too complicated. It added layers of complexity that were not needed and there were all sorts of historical issues relating to the number of train crew that has gone back a number of years.

“We have a remedial plan in place to look at fixing some of the underlying issues that led to some of the timetable problems last year where we saw unreliability become the norm.

“One of the positives we can say for coronavirus is that it has allowed us to put in a timetable that works extremely effectively.

"It will get impacted as customers start to return but it has given us a roadmap of what can actually be achieved.”

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The presentation to councillors outlined some of the measures currently in place as passengers slowly return to the railways after numbers dropped by 95 per cent at the height of the pandemic.

Mr Wiseman explained that the safety of customers and those working on the railway remained the priority and that all stations had been risk assessed for social distancing.

There were extra announcements and posters and plenty of practical advice on using lifts and urging passengers to leave a four-step gap on stairs and escalators.

He said it was expected that there would be an increase in services from Sunday, July 5.