Back on track: Train bosses welcome more passengers but say there are challenges

A “number of services” are being re-introduced across the region this month.

West Midlands Railway said it would be continuing to operate an enhanced Covid cleaning regime on trains and at stations to allow passengers to travel with confidence.

A spokesman said: "We have been pleased to welcome more passengers back on board our services over the past week following the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions."

Avanti West Coast, which took over from Virgin Trains in December 2019, will be reviewing the service changes.

A spokesman for the firm said: "With travel patterns changing constantly due to the pandemic, we keep our service levels under review and collaborate with stakeholders from Government, Network Rail and industry partners so as to strike the right balance between greater connectivity and value for money for taxpayers.

"During the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve introduced extra safety measures to protect people travelling with us.

"We’ve followed Government guidelines and put thorough processes in place to protect colleagues and customers, with enhanced cleaning and maintaining social distancing where possible on trains and at stations."

Transport for Wales said that as restrictions have eased it has seen increasing demand for services, particularly at peak times and weekends.

However, overall passenger numbers are still "significantly lower" than they were before the pandemic, bosses say.

A spokesman said: "Following the introduction of reduced timetables in December and January due to Covid 19-related absences, we are now pleased to be in a position to begin to reinstate services.

"It is a complex undertaking, but our intention is to gradually reinstate all services removed in December and January over the coming weeks, when we are confident we can sustainably deliver them, subject to the continued decline in staff sickness due to Covid.

"All available carriages are in service and we’re working hard to implement as many safety measures as possible, including enhanced cleaning regimes on trains and at stations.

"Face coverings remain mandatory on public transport in Wales, unless exempt, and we ask customers on all TfW services to continue to wear face coverings for the safety of their fellow passengers and our staff.

"We would like to thank our customers for their understanding over this challenging period."

Passenger demand at Shrewsbury Railway Station was approximately at 75 per cent of pre-Covid levels at the end of January, although current passenger numbers vary.

Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has pledged that train passengers frustrated by emergency timetables will see "big improvements" in the next fortnight.

Hundreds of daily services were axed in December and January in the wake of staff shortages caused by the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Mr Shapps revealed he is speaking to train operators "all the time" to ensure their timetables "come back up to spec".

He said: "In the next couple of weeks we should start to see big improvements.

"Of course, we're timing that alongside the fact that not everyone is back to work yet but we're starting to see big increases in the number of people travelling."

Mr Shapps was asked if the rail industry will need to make permanent cuts to its operations as taxpayer support which has kept services running during the virus crisis is reduced.

The Cabinet minister replied: "What I want to see is railways expand not shrink.

"I'm opening new lines to do that. There's a very bright long-term future.

"Obviously, with regards to how much people travel and at what speed they return to work, we need to make sure the timetables match that.

"But our commitment to the railways, I think, is second to none."