Tom Watson fears high speed services could be reduced at Sandwell and Dudley
Fewer high speed trains could stop at Sandwell and Dudley railway station under plans being considered by the government, the Labour Party's deputy leader has warned.
Tom Watson said it would be 'outrageous' if a current consultation on the future of the Inter-City West Coast Rail line ended with less fast trains stopping at the station in Oldbury.
Mr Watson, MP for West Bromwich East, said he feared the project 'could mean fewer stops at stations like Sandwell', which would harm Black Country businesses.
Four trains an hour currently travel between the station in Bromford Road and London Euston, with three changing in Birmingham.
Mr Watson said the worst-case scenario for some smaller stations would be one train arriving every two hours.
He said: "The responses to this consultation will help determine what the government ask for in the tender documents for the future of the franchise.
"The consultation has a heavy focus on faster journey times, which could mean fewer stops at stations like Sandwell in order to reduce journey times to other destinations.
"This would be a real problem for businesses and commuters."
The rail franchise currently operates primarily on the West Coast Mainline between London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, North Wales, Glasgow and Edinburgh with stops at intermediate stations including Sandwell and Dudley.
In a consultation document the Department for Transport warns some trains are 'very busy'.
To combat this, it suggests 'reducing the number of stops needed at intermediate stations' to ensure services between big cities are faster and less crowded.
Consultation on the service, currently operated by Virgin Trains, closes August 2.
Mr Watson said: "Any reduction in high speed services to and from Sandwell would be outrageous.
"We need more high speed direct trains, not fewer services. There's no point in the government spending all of this money on HS2 if Sandwell residents end up getting a poorer service."
The consultation claims there are around 300 train services every day on the line, with journeys to and from London accounting for 63 per cent of services. Around 60 per per cent of the journeys are more than 100 miles.
