A GROUP to provide a voice to the hundreds of rail users across Droitwich Spa could soon be set up after plans were unanimously backed by the town council.
Coun Alan Humphries put forward a motion for the creation of the ‘Droitwich Rail Users Action Group’ at the meeting on Monday.
“On a daily basis commuters to and from our town are faced with cancellations, delays, short-formed trains and trains which do not have the basic facilities, such as working toilets.
“People are squashed into trains and sometimes are even unable to get on them because they are so overcrowded.
“I have seen passengers reduced to tears by the dreadful travel experience they have been subjected to,” he said.
The journey he had taken to the meeting had seen fellow passengers forced to sit on the floor because there were no seats.
“Bromsgrove has seen improvements so has Worcester and I am pleased they have because they needed improving, but so does Droitwich.”
Bromsgrove Rail User Group (BRUG) was formed in 2006 and successfully campaigned for the new station, built in 2016, along with a host of other issues affecting rail users.
BRUG chairman Mike Posonby said: “We welcome the creation of Droitwich Rail Users Group as this is a significant development for putting forward the interests of railway passengers.”
A meeting will be set up for people who want to be involved in the formation of the group which will liaise with West Midlands Railways about poor service issues and hold meaningful discussions, how things can be improved and when they should happen.
The group would report back to the town council regularly but would not need any funding from the authority.
“Unless something is done now, they will only get worse with the potential of influx of people coming to live in our town over the next few years.
“I want us to fight for a better rail service for Droitwich – we may be small and West Midlands Railways may be big but I am reminded of the saying ‘it is not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog’,” added Coun Humphries.
Coun Bob Brookes seconded the motion on behalf of Coun Alex Sinton who could not be there.
Coun Brookes said: “I was happy to support it.
“My daughter has been staying with us in Droitwich over the past few weeks and has also endured nightmare commutes to Birmingham on a regular basis.”
He has also pledged some of his divisional funds towards starting the group which could include leaflets and a website.
Call Coun Humphries on 07971 220671 for more information.
West Midlands Railway has welcomed the potential formation of the users group.
The operator said it would be important for the organisation to be made up of a broad spectrum of people across Droitwich.
Francis Thomas, the company’s head of corporate affairs, added: “We are looking forward to meet the members on a regular basis.
“Although we run the services, we do not have all the answers and welcome user group’s ideas sand suggestions.”
Some of the problems faced by commuters in Droitwich would improve when the line from Barnt Green was electrified.
From July 29 there will be three trains-an-hour operating between Birmingham and Bromsgrove, taking people off the services to Hereford. Currently services to Bromsgrove are hourly.
New trains were on order and, as part of a £16billion investment by West Midlands Railways, an additional 400 extra carriages would be put onto the network, providing more capacity.
“We have seen the demand for rail services increase by 50 per cent over the last ten years and that has presented its fair share of challenges.
“This franchise should have been changed two-and-a-half years ago,” he said.
