Denise Wetton

A new business unit has been created in a further step towards Great British Railways.

GBR West Midlands is the fourth organisation of its kind to be set up, as the Bill to create Great British Railways continues its journey through the House of Lords.

West Midlands will join GBR South Eastern, GBR South Western and GBR Anglia in combining train operations and Network Rail.

Among the advantages are reducing delays by allowing track access during the daytime and installing cameras on trains which will monitor track conditions. More use will be made of drones to deter trespassers and would-be thieves. Internal processes will be streamlined, reducing costs.

The integrated managing director of GBR West Midlands is Denise Wetton. She has most recently been the director of Network Rail’s Central Route.

She said: ‘This is an exciting time where we can really start to bring track and train together, building on past successes for an even better future.

‘We will create a railway that meets the needs of the communities we serve, and a railway that we and our customers can be proud of.

‘Great British Railways is a once in a generation opportunity to improve performance on the railway and deliver a better railway for everyone. The hard work starts now, and I am excited to get started.’

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: ‘Denise’s appointment marks an important step towards Great British Railways and the simpler, more joined-up railway it will deliver.

‘By bringing track and train closer together, we can improve reliability, deliver better value for taxpayers, and build a railway that has passengers and freight at its heart. I look forward to working with her and her team at GBR West Midlands to realise the benefits this approach will bring to deliver growth, jobs and homes across the region.’

The chief executive of DfT Operator Alex Hynes, which owns the nationalised operators, added: ‘Customers in the West Midlands will be the next to start feeling the benefits of a truly integrated railway as we continue to grow and build the foundations for Great British Railways with the appointment of Denise Wetton.

‘Denise brings a wealth of experience and an intimate knowledge of the railway in the region that will prove invaluable as she drives better coordination, faster decisions and a stronger focus on delivering for passengers in the West Midlands.’

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