MP Harriett Baldwin has called for an urgent meeting with a train company following continued service cancellations.

The West Worcestershire MP has written to West Midland Trains following another series of train cancellations over the last two weeks, which left customers stranded on platforms waiting for replacement buses services.

Two years ago Mrs Baldwin called for a similar crisis meeting with the company, in which it pledged to recruit and train more drivers to avoid further delays and cancellations.

 

 

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The Conservative MP previously approached Rishi Sunak with her concerns about the rail franchise's service issues, and has also supported West Midlands Mayor Andy Street's campaign to serve West Midland Trains with a warning for their recent cancellations.

Mrs Baldwin said: "Two years ago, I had a disappointing conversation with one of the directors of West Midlands Trains who claimed that the cancellations were attributed to driver shortages, but that it was recruiting more train drivers."

She continued: “I was told that it takes 18 months to train a driver, so I am wondering why there is not now a full supply of drivers and why we are seeing consistently poor performance on trains between Birmingham and Malvern.

“The company held onto its franchise after pledging to fix the performance issues so my question to them now is, what is their latest excuse?

“I hope to hear from the senior leadership about why it is continuing to under-perform and what it is doing to fix it, and, when Parliament returns in January, I plan to ask questions of the relevant Ministers."

She concluded: “Some of my constituents have already called for the company to be relieved of its duties and I am starting to feel that their performance requires much closer scrutiny.”