Go-Ahead secures London Midland train franchise extension

Go-Ahead, the transport group which runs the merged Thameslink and Southern train routes, has been granted another two years operating a key London train franchise.

The Department for Transport has given Go-Ahead a contract extension to run London Midland trains from Euston station until October 2017.

The group secured the contract on routes where it has seen revenues increase by 11% in the first half of the year, by promising extra services to passengers who travel between Euston and the Trent Valley, through key commuter towns like Watford and Hemel Hempstead.

Go-Ahead, headed by group chief executive David Brown, will also be adding new Sunday services in order to help local shoppers and businesses.

The transport operator has also said it will provide free wifi on its long-distance services between Euston, Northampton, Birmingham, Crewe, Stoke and Liverpool.

Eventually, it aims to make wifi free on all services when the franchise comes up for full competition in 2017.

London Midland paid out £7 million in 2012 after driver shortages caused cancellations and delays.

Budget airline Ryanair’s traffic grew by almost a fifth in November to 7.7 million passengers.

Meanwhile Wizz Air, the Hungarian-owned airline that operates from Luton to countries in central and Eastern Europe, saw passenger numbers climb by 26%.