TWO new carriages will be added to trains travelling through Bromsgrove on weekday mornings, as part of timetable alterations coming into effect on Monday.

For months, rail users have complained that the morning services between Hereford and Birmingham New Street are too crowded, and this reached new heights when replacement coaches were forced to carry overspilled passengers during the school Easter holidays.

But today, London Midland announced it will be adding two carriages each to the 9.10am service from Bromsgrove to Hereford and the 11.43am from Bromsgrove to Birmingham, bringing the total on both trains to a roomy five carriages.

Francis Thomas, speaking on behalf of London Midland, said: "As part of the timetable change this weekend we will be able to strengthen a couple of trains to help ease some of that overcrowding.

"We know it's busy and we've looked at maintenance schedules to see when we can try and improve this.

"There is a national shortage of diesel trains, as we've said all along, but we are making the very best use of the fleet we've got.

"Of course, the main benefit comes when the route to Bromsgrove is electrified and we get those extra three trains an hour between Bromsgrove and Birmingham."

The work to electrify the tracks to Bromsgrove's new £24m station is set to be completed by this time next year.