No-one has authority to put brakes on rail crisis

No-one appears to have the power to force London Midland to do anything about the problems that have caused chaos for commuters this week.

More than 200 timetabled services were cancelled or cut short because the company simply did not have enough drivers to meet demand.

And the problem will go on until the middle of December, meaning people trying to get to work or get home or just trying to get out and about during the day have no idea whether or not their train will run.

The problem has arisen because, according to the RMT union, around 30 drivers have left for better pay in other jobs.

While a driver has to give three months' notice, it takes 12 months to get a replacement.

London Midland got a dressing down from councillors on the transport authority Centro this week.

And the Government isn't particularly impressed either. Transport minister Norman Baker has said he will be monitoring things "extremely closely".

Monitoring whether or not London Midland is actually running services sounds to me like the most boring form of trainspotting imaginable, taking it as a given that trainspotting is, in itself, not exactly the most thrilling pastime.

Centro has said it believes passengers are "entitled to an efficient and reliable rail service but the current service falls short of that".

Centro, too, will monitor things but doesn't seem to have any real sway.

It was unable to stop London Midland from getting the backing to scale back opening hours at dozens of ticket offices despite widespread passenger opposition.

The Campaign for Better Transport says this is no way to run a rail franchise and thinks the Government should take it away from London Midland.

The alternative, at least for the time being, would be renationalising the service.

But would we want to bring back British Rail?

Quite apart from anything else the sandwiches were a national joke – all turned-up corners and cheese sweating under a glass dome.

Passengers have surely suffered enough.

*****

The people of Wednesfield are rising up. Reports earlier this month that they could end up part of a Walsall MP's constituency have galvanised them into action.

The Boundary Commission for England proposes Wednesfield being part of Walsall West, rather than Wolverhampton North East, the next time MPs are elected.

Wednesfield is part of MP Emma Reynolds's constituency and if the Boundary Commission proposals are accepted, Wolverhampton North East would be carved up between the two remaining city seats, with Wednesfield sent to a new Walsall West.

It could all be a moot point, because the Liberal Democrats are refusing to back David Cameron's planned boundary changes. But the politicians of Wednesfield are leaving nothing to chance.

Councillor Phil Bateman said: "Wednesfield is used to seeing off challengers.

"We beat the Danish invasion in the year 910 – we can beat this as well.

"Leaving it to the Liberal Democrats is not the way forward.

"These proposals will still be there, even if Parliament does not vote for them."