Fear early and late trains could be cut

Train services in the Black Country and Staffordshire could be cut when the deal to run the West Coast Main Line is renewed later this year, it emerged today.

Transport bosses said arrangements for a new franchise offers no protection for the current early-morning and late-night services for Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Dudley or Stafford rail stations.

Wolverhampton's regeneration chief said protection and improvement of existing services was a key part of the city's support for high speed rail.

Current franchise holder Virgin Trains faces competition from three other operators.

They are Keolis, backed by France's state-run SNCF, Abellio, which is an offshoot of the Dutch national rail business, and First Group.

The last time the franchise was awarded in 1996, bidders had to agree to first and last train times.

But the Department for Transport has not specified the times for stations in the West Midlands other than Birmingham New Street for the new franchise, which will run until at least 2026.

West Midlands transport authority Centro revealed it would now seek to influence the bidders to get them to improve train services.

The timetables will be effectively frozen for the first year of the franchise, which begins in December 2012.

Wolverhampton City Council regeneration chief Councillor Peter Bilson said: "We need to lobby not just the potential franchisees but also the Government."