Last night I received an email confirming our worst fears. The Department for Transport have announced that London and Birmingham Railway Ltd (a subsidiary of Govia) has been awarded the new West Midland franchise. The press release states that the franchise will include 'a new semi fast service between London and Crewe serving the Trent Valley'. Although Stone is not specifically mentioned, I assume that this is the service that was mentioned in the franchise bidding document which provides for that service to stop at Stone.
This is not the service we were offered when the franchise consultation took place. At that time, the DfT were proposing a Birmingham/Manchester service. That was the service we all wanted and we said so. But then they changed their minds and have given us a Crewe to Euston service that very few people will use.
What was the point of consultation? Why offer us a service between Birmingham and Manchester and then snatch it off us. Why ignore the consultation? And why were we not consulted on the Crewe to Euston service. The whole process of consultation now appears to have been a complete sham.
So we will get the new service in December 2008. Is there any hope of changing minds before then. I hope so and shall muster all the support I can. I fail to see how a Crewe to Euston service will be a commercial proposition from Stone Station - and then what? Service withdrawn through lack of passengers?
