Major improvements scheduled for trains in the West Midlands

413 new train carriages are set to be built by 2021, as part of a £680 million package announced by West Midlands Train Services this month.

The planned developments will see the creation of around 107 new West Midlands trains, allowing an additional 85,000 passengers onto rush-hour services. Free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and in-seat power sockets are also expected to be provided as standard on all trains services as part of the re-developments.

A new hourly shuttle has also been planned between Leamington Spa and Coventry, serving the new station at Kenilworth.

The construction work was awarded to Bombardier Trains, who are set to produce 333 electric carriages for the project, which will be made up of 90mph trains for metro services, and 110mph trains for longer-distance services.

Work is set to start in December and is scheduled to run until March 2026.

The work will also be supported by CAF, and is financially sponsored by both Infracapital and Deutsche Asset Management.

Other planned benefits for passengers include compensation, for the first-time, if services are delayed by 15 minutes or more, and improved access for those requiring extra assistance. Smart ticketing and live passenger information will also be rolled out under the deal, designed to help passengers plan ahead.

Abellio UK managing director Dominic Booth: “We are delighted to award this work to Bombardier and CAF, which means we are now overseeing £3 billion of investment into 1700 new carriages across all our franchises. It is great news that so many of these trains will be produced in the UK. As a company, we are committed to working with the government to strengthen the British economy and deliver thousands of high-quality jobs over the coming years.”