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# Lichfield MP calls for London Midland contracts to be cancelled
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/lichfield-mp-calls-for-london-midland-contracts-to-be-cancelled/
- Published: 2009-09-06T19:03:59.000Z
- Updated: 2009-09-07T07:34:53.000Z
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Transport, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 21:52

![Londond Midland train. Pic: Ben Coulson](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/londonmidland.jpg "londonmidland")

Londond Midland train. Pic: Ben Coulson

MP Michael Fabricant has called for London Midland to be stripped of their Lichfield to London contract.

Mr Fabricant made his public criticism of the company after they [cancelled all services](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2009/09/03/london-midland-cancellations-set-to-hit-lichfield-rail-services/) across the country today (Sunday) because of staff shortages.

The cancellations hit Mr Fabricant’s constituents hard with services between Lichfield Trent Valley and London among those affected as well as cross-city line services in and out of the city.

The Lichfield MP said:

> “This failure of their service is unacceptable and breaches all the assurances and promises given to me and the Department of Transport on the future of their Sunday train timetable. Their contract should be withdrawn and be given to an alternative company.  
>  
> “When I last met Steve Banaghan, Managing Director of London-Midland, back in March, he outlined the difficulties they are encountering. However, he offered hope as to the future reliability of their service. In particular, he said that the introduction of the new timetable on May 17 would resolve many of their problems and herald a consistent Sunday service.  
>  
> “This has not come about. Indeed, I now understand that Steve Banaghan has moved on. And while I wish his successor – Mike Hodson – well, the present situation cannot be allowed to continue any longer. It is causing real distress to students, businessmen, and tourists needing to travel on Sundays. It follows on from a stream of cancellations and delays over the past year.”

It was because of these delays that Mr Fabricant called on Virgin Trains to [re-introduce a Sunday service](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2009/04/27/call-for-virgin-trains-to-reinstate-lichfield-to-london-sunday-service/) between Lichfield and the capital.

Mr Fabricant added:

> “I am delighted that the Virgin service will almost certainly be [incorporated in their December timetable](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2009/06/29/virgin-trains-could-add-sunday-service-between-lichfield-and-london/). But one reliable train is not enough. I am now calling on Lord Adonis – Secretary of State for Transport – to withdraw the contract from London-Midland and offer it to a company such as Virgin Trains or some other company who have a proven track record of running a reliable Sunday train service.  
>  
> “After all the disruption, sacrifice and noise residents were forced to endure caused by the four-tracking of the main line by Lichfield, the present debacle cannot be allowed to drift on any longer.”