Trains have finally returned to Kenilworth Railway Station for the first time since December, ending a nine-week wait for rail services.

Operator West Midlands Railway suspended all services on the Leamington Spa to Nuneaton line from December 27 due to staffing issues caused by Covid-19.

But as of yesterday the full hourly timetable resumed for Kenilworth's station for the first time since January 2021.

The station was closed between January and April last year, and only reopened with a partial bus replacement and rail service.

A number of services yesterday were still a bus replacement, as WMR had advertised previously.

WMR had promised that a full timetable would resume last month, but this was delayed as Covid-19 infection rates rapidly increased over Christmas.

"I would like to thank our customers for their patience while we were forced to temporarily suspend the train service on this route," said Jonny Wiseman, WMR customer experience director.

"Like many industries, the Omicron variant had a significant impact on the railway.

"However, with case numbers falling in recent weeks we are now able to reinstate the full hourly timetable and look forward to welcoming customers back on board."

Whilst the full timetable has resumed, local councillors said there was still work that needed to be done to improve the rail service to the town.

On Wednesday Cllr Richard Dickson renewed calls to upgrade the Leamington to Coventry rail line to a dual track and to allow mainline train services to stop at Kenilworth Station.

"It is no surprise that from the get go the line has, sadly, been an expensive white elephant," he said at Wednesday's Warwick District Council meeting.

"Even before Covid there were frequent delays and cancellations. People will not arrange to use a rail line if people don't trust the train will be running on time – if at all."