Direct train links Shropshire and London

Press release - 4 September 2007

Shropshire County Council has welcomed the decision to allow a new rail operator to run direct services from Wrexham and Shropshire to London.

The Rail Regulator in London yesterday (Monday 3 September) granted permission for the Wrexham and Shropshire rail company to run up to five services each way to London Marylebone starting next Spring.

John Everall, Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: “This is great news for the people of Shropshire. The County Council has long campaigned for a through service to be reinstated, and we are pleased that Wrexham and Shropshire have taken the challenge to provide us with this.”

Dave Koring, Shropshire County Council’s rail officer, said: “These new trains will be a welcome addition to the range of services available from Shropshire and will allow many more people to make the switch to rail and leave their cars at home.

“However, this does not alter the council's long-term campaign for a high-speed electrified through service to London Euston, and we continue to work with the Department for Transport to further our case for this. The success of the Wrexham and Shropshire service will help this campaign, by proving the demand exists.”

Ends

For further information, call David Koring, Rail Officer on (01743) 253006.
For media contact, call Laura Owen, Communications Officer, Economy & Environment on (01743) 253318.

Notes to editor

The direct service from Shrewsbury to London Euston last ran in 2001.

Shropshire County Council has been campaigning continuously since then for a through service to be reinstated, and this campaign continues, with the longer-term aim of electrifying the line between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, which would allow through electric train service to run to London Euston utilising the Virgin Trains tilting Pendolino units.

The new Wrexham and Shropshire service to London Marylebone will provide a diesel train service from Wrexham, calling at Ruabon, Chirk and Gobowen to Shrewsbury, then at Wellington, Telford and Cosford to Wolverhamton, then at Tame Bridge in the West Midlands. It will also call at Banbury, where connections can be made to a wide variety of destinations in the South and South West, before arriving at London’s Marylebone station.