After meeting rail bosses earlier this week, Richard Harrington MP welcomes major service improvements for rail users, which will see more 12 car trains and extra services during rush hour.
From 19th May 2019, London Northwestern Railway will introduce a new timetable which will include three trains an hour between London Euston, Watford Junction and Birmingham New Street with trains running through to destinations beyond Birmingham including Liverpool, Stoke on Trent, Crewe and Walsall.
During peak times, services will be strengthened to operate as 12 car Class 319 trains (Monday to Friday), which will significantly reduce overcrowding for commuters.
Watford MP, Richard Harrington, has been working closely with Transport Ministers to deliver an improved train service for commuters. He pushed for a new rail franchise deal that would require the new train operator to invest in a new fleet of trains, as well as more frequent services on the West Coast Main Line.
After seven years of campaigning from the MP, London North Western Rail took over in December 2017, and together with the Government, they have committed to investing nearly £1bn to drastically improve services, including more frequent services on evenings and weekends, as well as upgraded trains.
Long term plans also include the production of a whole new fleet of commuter trains built for Watford passengers, some of which will be new electric trains. There trains are due to arrive by 2021 and will mean that the Euston line will have an extra 10,000 seats per day.
Mr Harrington said:
“As a regular commuter into London, I know that our train services can be irregular and overcrowded, which just isn’t good enough.
In 2017, I worked closely with Transport Ministers and train operators on a new deal for rail users. As a result, London Midland was replaced with London Northwestern Rail, and together with the Department for Transport, they are investing £1 billion into that network.
For Watford, this means a brand-new timetable which includes more services during rush hour, with more of them being 12 car trains.
But this is just the start. By 2021, Watford rail users will benefit from a whole new train fleet, increasing capacity on our Euston services by 10,000 seats each day.”