Kenilworth rail user calls for action to have services running reliably through town's troubled station three years after it was opened

A Kenilworth commuter has expressed her grave concerns about the "chaotic descent" of the town's station through its "erratic and unstable train service".

In April, operator West Midlands Railway (WMR) resumed services at Kenilworth, which currently run once every two hours to Leamington and Coventry stations.

These are supplemented by rail replacement buses.

During the height of the pandemic, the station's rail services were stopped.And Warwickshire County Council announced last week that it was working with WMR to find a new tenant for the station's ticket office with the authority admitting that visitor figures to the station greatly declined at the start of the pandemic when people were instructed to stay at home.

Elaine Corry, who relies on services from the station to get to work and for her sons to get to school in Leamington, said: "The service user, passenger, taxpayer, residents of Kenilworth and surrounding areas are owed the answers to the chaotic descent of Kenilworth Station through its erratic and unstable train service.

"Why have no funds or support, either financial, moral or general, been offered to enable the independently operated station booking office to remain open and functioning?

"Return journeys have often left passengers stranded - myself included on many occasions. Ticket reimbursement is a slow and painful procedure; many are too tired and frustrated to apply.

"This scenario is still ongoing since the hypothetical "trains running every two hours".

"My most recent experience was the 5.01 pm train from Leamington to Nuneaton that was announced as cancelled at 5.15 pm with a bus finally chugging along at 5.35 pm.

"I got home to Kenilworth after 6 pm.

"Other passengers missed connecting trains and were so angry, and some had been working all day, having left home at 6 am, which is a regular occurrence for them. I travel every day and speak with fellow passengers.

"What is the solution? File a complaint? Look online? Send an email?

"The complaints procedure is as long and slow as the train delays.

"Refunds with immediate effect and compensation are needed for the service user.

"Last month I had wages deducted as I was two hours late for work due to my train being cancelled yet again.

"The general public has had enough of being treated disrespectfully, without any apologies or reimbursement.

"We are entitled to disclosure of information relating to funds paid that have been raised from the public through taxation."

WMR has said: "We are fully committed to increasing the frequency of the train services at Kenilworth as soon as possible.

“The root cause of all performance issues on the line is a shortage of train crew, which we had begun addressing by recruiting additional staff before the pandemic struck.

“Unfortunately Covid-19 has had an unprecedented impact on our service with one-in-three colleagues missing work and 25,000 driver training days lost.

"This means it is taking much longer to train the drivers we need to run a full service at Kenilworth.

“We have taken steps to make our training programmes Covid-secure and would like to reassure our passengers we will reinstate a full service when we are able to do so.”