"Rail service we do not want"

9.05.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 23rd Jun 2007

The Department for Transport has just announced details of the new West Midland franchise and it is not good news for prospective Stone rail passengers, claims Richard Stevens, Borough and Town councillor for Stonefield and Christchurch ward.

The announcement confirms that Stone will get an hourly stopping service from December 2008 but the service will not be the Manchester/ Birmingham service originally proposed. Instead, the service will operate between Crewe, Stoke, Stone, Stafford and then London Euston via the Trent Valley line.

"This is not the service we were consulted upon,"said Richard. "The proposed Birmingham/ Manchester service was greeted with acclaim by everyone. It would have been a marvellous service for Stone commuters and shoppers. But the service just announced is likely to be very under used. And then what? The DfT will then say it isn't economical and we could lose trains again. What was the point of holding a consultation exercise if the results are simply ignored?"