TRAIN services in Lichfield are set to go into public ownership next year.
The Department for Transport has confirmed that West Midlands Trains – which operates the West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway brands will make the switch on 1st February 2026.
The move is part of the ongoing Public Ownership Programme rolled out by the Government.
Bosses at the rail companies say they are “committed to ensuring a smooth transition”.
Ian McConnell, managing director of West Midlands Trains, said:
“I am extremely proud of what we have achieved under this franchise, delivering a £1billion investment in two new train fleets and delivering significantly improved performance which has transformed rail travel for millions of customers.
“As we transition to a publicly owned railway, our focus remains on delivering an outstanding service for our passengers.”
The new trains are so much better than the old ones.
All you need to do now is stop them having door faults, breaking down and get them running on time, and then you will have a functional Cross City Service 🙏
Also, bring back 4 services per hour
We need faster trains into Birmingham. Tamworth has trains with far fewer stops, and get to New Street in 16 minutes! Lichfield’s trains are slower than driving into Birmingham because of all the stops. Surely we can have some services that don’t stop in every place on the way into the centre? This will get cars off the A38.