TRAINS going to and from Redditch will be managed by a new firm after London Midland lost the operations right for the West Midlands.

The company has been running trains in the region since 2007 but has not always been popular in Redditch with many accusing the service of being unreliable and unpredictable.

The Advertiser reported in the past that hundreds of commuters, including many from Redditch, revealed they had been spoken to by their boss about their timekeeping, as a result of delays.

There has also been numerous cancellations, trains failing to stop at stations such as Alvechurch and Barnt Green, and regular disruptions to the service, which prompted then MP Karen Lumley to meet with the managing director of London Midland to discuss the issues.

At the time she said: “In places such as Redditch, people are dependent on these services. Commuters are being asked to pay more and more, yet the service provided has worsened."

The operations will now be run by West Midlands Trains Ltd (WMT) after London Midland lost the contract.

WMT - a joint-venture between Abellio, Mitsui and East Japan Railway Company - promises to commit nearly £1 billion to the region once it takes over on December 10.

Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK, said: “We are delighted to have been announced as the winning bidder for the West Midlands franchise, driving growth in one of the most exciting regions in the country.”

The company says £700m of funding in the region will go into new and refurbished trains, creating space for 85,000 more passengers to travel to London and Birmingham during rush hour, with the widespread introduction of smart ticketing.