Every rail station in the West Midlands should be turned over to the region’s transport authority, its chief executive claimed.

Centro, which oversees public transport in the West Midlands, has called on the Government to grant it ownership of 154 stations in a bid to cut back on red tape. Chief executive Geoff Inskip told the Express & Star he wanted to save money on unnecessary bureaucracy.

All rail stations are currently owned by Network Rail, a Government-run company, but are maintained and run by train operators such as Virgin and London Midland.

Mr Inskip asked the Government to consider his proposal at a Parliamentary reception at the House of Commons.

Afterwards, he said: “Train operating companies have seven-year franchises.

“We are going to be here for longer than any franchise and we are the ones who are representing local people’s needs.

“If you want consistency across stations, then Centro should own them. If we want something such as a bicycle rack, then we have to go to Network Rail.

“It is at the stage where even if I want to put a poster case at Birmingham New Street, I have to send my request to Network Rail with a statement about how I’m going to open it up and how I’m going to lock it down.

“Network Rail needs to be able to concentrate on the national picture – the tracks that run through the stations.”

Mr Inskip has said his proposal would save taxpayers money. He has also called for Centro to be able to have a deciding vote on which companies get to run franchises.

Centro, despite being responsible for the overall network of public transport in the West Midlands, is not a co-signatory on any contracts for rail services.

It was not able to impose its views on the Government decision to allow London Midland to take over from Central Trains in 2007.