THE CHIEF of West Midlands Trains has pledged to restore ‘close to 100 per cent’ of services by September, ahead of pupils’ return to schools.
Julian Edwards said longer trains and increasing capacity through the summer was helping to keep passengers distanced on trains.
Speaking alongside the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, Mr Edwards, who took over as head of the train operator this year, said West Midlands Trains was almost at a full service on its busiest lines.
“Following our service changes through the pandemic, the next step is coming our way in September is in time for the schools to return.
“We will be running even more capacity, close to 100 per cent capacity in many places, to ensure that we can move people safely , cleanly and in a spacious environment.
“Right now we are carrying around 20 per cent of passenger capacity, comfortably within the capacity to feel safe on board, there is plenty of room at any time of the day.
“We are running longer trains at all times of the day, not just peaks, so I encourage passengers to travel at all times of the day, as in one or two of the largest cities, the people who need to travel are going at very early times of the morning, so the peak has moved to a very early time.
“Masks have also helped, with the very high percentage taken up of face covering in the network, and British Transport Police are in a encouraging mode to maintain face-coverings.
Mr Edwards said passengers who need to travel for work and school could now take journeys, a change from pandemic restrictions on ‘essential travel only.’
He added: “We have continued to run train services during lockdown, they started as key workers’ services and developed into longrunning services using longer train formations, which will ensure social distancing and a safe environment.
“We of course have stepped up our cleaning regimes as a result of the pandemic. We are trialing and now using an anti-viral fogging machine.
“Our station signage is now ready to encourage social distancing and keeping one way systems.
“We are very keen that people now experience the station environment and the onboard environment, as this is clean.
“West Midlands Trains had many staff isolating and shielding at the height of the pandemic, but now that number of staff is now around two per cent, showing that we can have our staff back working healthily and contributing to the next step of the timetables.”