WEST MIDLANDS TRAINS 730 UNITS ENTRY INTO SERVICE BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET INTO LIVERPOOL

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular: NP/109/25

10^th July 2025

To: The Secretary,

Branches and Regional Councils

 

Dear Colleague

 

WEST MIDLANDS TRAINS 730 UNITS ENTRY INTO SERVICE BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET INTO LIVERPOOL

 

Further to head office circular NP/101/25, dated 13^th June 2025, your lead officer has advised me that two further productive meetings have taken place, and a formal proposal received from the company

 

The proposal has been shared with the three depots affected Crewe, Wolverhampton and Birmingham and the consensus after the feedback obtained is that the proposals address the majority of the concerns along with the reviews that are going to be pencilled in on a monthly basis.

 

The reps have worked tirelessly to move this issue forward and the feedback provided by the reps is that the WMT proposal is acceptable and gives the required reassurance and confirmation that the senior conductor is in charge of the train and has the final say in times of severe overcrowding

 

Further to that senior conductors are also going to be provided with the briefing that is being issued to control staff that reminds controllers that the senior conductor remains in charge of the train and this agreement is unto the end of the current timetable of the 14^th December when it is also expected that all the Liverpool Services will then revert back to the 350 fleet.

 

Following receipt of this further report from your lead officer, at its meeting on 3^rd July 2025, your National Executive Committee resolved as follows:

 

That we note the report from the lead officer and the mitigations proposed in the trial that will run from 14th July to 14th December 2025.

 

We instruct the general secretary to accept this trial and place further reports in front of the NEC as required.

 

Relevant branches, regional council, and members to be advised. 

 

I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Eddie Dempsey, General Secretary