Passengers advised new train timetables imminent

The changes are to improve reliability on West Midlands services

Two railway operators are urging train users to check before they travel as timetables change later this month.

From 21 May, tweaks to West Midlands Railway and Chiltern Railways services will affect routes via Birmingham Snow Hill and Moor Street.

Chiltern Railways said while it would no longer serve Kidderminster, there would be no reduction in the frequency of trains to Birmingham.

The changes are said to be designed to improve reliability.

West Midlands Railway changes include:

• An overhaul of train times on all routes via Birmingham Snow Hill to create a "more consistent and resilient timetable"

• An increased level of service introduced at Small Heath and Tyseley

• Longer turnaround times at Kidderminster to improve recovery from delays, said to reduce the possibility of short-notice cancellations

• Four stations in Warwickshire - Danzey, Wood End, Woottoon Wawen and The Lakes - no longer being classified as "request stops"

• A later departure for the last weekday train to Hednesford from Birmingham New Street. It is set to leave at 23:22 BST instead of 23:00 BST

West Midlands Railway urged users to check before they travelled

Chiltern Railway said there would be increased services in the West Midlands on key commuter routes, including a regular 15-minute service between Dorridge and Birmingham Moor Street.

There are also due to be two trains per hour operating between Bicester North, Warwick and Birmingham Moor Street.

A West Midlands Railway spokesperson said: "In recent years services on our Snow Hill lines have not been as reliable as we would like and one of the primary reasons for this has been a lack of recovery time built into the timetable.

"The significant changes we are making this month will improve reliability and has been designed to create an evenly-spaced, robust and better-performing timetable for all our passengers."

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