Reheated bid raises hopes for direct London rail link
Plans to re-establish a direct passenger service between Shropshire and London have been boosted by a fresh bid to the government’s Office for Road and Rail.
The county lost its direct rail link to the capital in 2024 after Avanti West Coast decided to pull the service, blaming poor passenger numbers for the decision.
In July last year, the ORR rejected a plan by Alstom-backed Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway(WSMR) to restore direct services to the region, which would have seen five trains a day running between Wrexham and London Euston via Shropshire and the West Midlands due to concerns over congestion on the route.
In December, WSMR confirmed it had submitted new proposals to the government, reducing the number of services to four per day, which the company says will serve around 1.5m potential passengers, if approved.
“This application differs from our previous submission, which includes us requesting fewer train paths and offering an additional stop at Wellington, enhancing connectivity for people in Shropshire,” said a statement by the company.
“Furthermore, by making better use of available capacity – including paths that have been released and remain unused – we aim to strengthen regional links and support economic growth.
“WSMR’s new open access service will provide faster, more convenient travel options for passengers in Wrexham, Shrewsbury, Wellington, Telford, Walsall and beyond, improving access to jobs, education and leisure opportunities. We remain committed to introducing this service for the regions we serve and delivering benefits for communities along the route.”
Shropshire has endured an on-off direct rail link to the capital city over the past two decades. A service run by the similar sounding, but unrelated, Wrexham and Shropshire company ran between Shrewsbury and London Marylebone between 2008 and 2011.
Avanti West Coast picked up the reigns in 2014, but the service lasted just ten years before it was pulled.
A decision on the resubmitted proposals is expected from the ORR in the spring.
