Centro members voice concerns over London Midland proposals to reduce staff at rail stations

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Centro is urging rail passengers to oppose London Midland proposals to slash the numbers of staff at stations across the region.

London Midland has launched a public consultation exercise today (March 1st 2011) to implement the changes between July and August 2011.

But the integrated West Midlands passenger transport authority has written to Transport Minister Theresa Villiers urging her to look closely at proposals by London Midland to reduce the level of passenger services at 87 stations out of the 90 London Midland runs across the region.

London Midland says it needs to reduce numbers to save money, with staff being completely removed from eight stations and dramatically reduced at almost all other stations under their proposals.

In a joint letter to Ms Villiers, Centro chairman Councillor Angus Adams, vice chairman Councillor Jon Hunt and Opposition Group Leader Councillor John McNicholas said the proposals would be totally unacceptable to passengers.

They said when London Midland was awarded the franchise to run stations in the West Midlands it was done so on the basis of specific staffing levels. To reduce them by such significant numbers would have a major impact on passengers.

Councillor Adams said: “Their rationale for deciding changes fails to take into account the wider benefits of staff presence at stations, including the critically important role in reassuring passengers.

“We have made it clear to London Midland that were we a co-signatory to the franchise agreement the Integrated Transport Authority would not approve these changes.”

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