'Fans should not be left guessing whether they can use their local station on a Saturday': Walsall Supporters' Trust raises concerns over new stations' impact on matchday travel
The Walsall Supporters’ Trust has written to Valerie Vaz MP citing concerns that Bescot Stadium station will be negatively impacted by new rail announcements.
The fresh announcements suggest services at two new stations in Willenhall and Darlaston may not include Walsall’s main station, raising concerns that the stadium's station will also be bypassed, causing potential problems on matchdays.
Council leaders confirmed that, under current proposals, trains serving the new £85m stations could bypass Walsall altogether. The Department for Transport said no final timetable decision has yet been made.
The trust said this development underlines the urgent need to guarantee that Bescot is not overlooked on matchdays.
“Fans should not be left guessing whether they can use their local station on a Saturday,” a trust spokesperson said. “With millions being invested in new services nearby, it would be unthinkable for Walsall FC supporters to lose out. We are urging our MP to press for a guaranteed matchday stop at Bescot.”
Alongside calls for service certainty, the trust also renewed its long-running campaign for improved disabled access and facilities at Bescot station.
Step-free access and modernised provisions for disabled supporters remain, it says, a “basic but urgent priority".
As a registered community benefit society, the Walsall Supporters’ Trust exists to strengthen the bonds between Walsall FC and the communities it serves.
It says securing reliable matchday stops and long-overdue accessibility upgrades at Bescot would benefit not just Saddlers fans, but local residents and businesses alike.
