Plans for rail service between the West Midlands and London are resubmitted - with new stops in the region
Proposals for a new train service to London have been resubmitted five months after their rejection - with plans for additional stops at two new stations.
The Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR) has lodged a fresh application for an open-access service between Wrexham and London Euston. It comes after a previous application was rejected by the Office or Rail and Road (ORR) in July.
The new submission aims to make use of spare capacity that was recently released on the Liverpool to London route. WSMR is now proposing to run four trains per day in each direction - one fewer than previously proposed - and is seeking a contract of seven years or longer.
As before, the service would stop at Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Telford, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes. In addition, WSMR says calls at Willenhall and Darlaston could be added once those stations open.
The revised plans also include a new stop at Wellington in Telford.
Under the proposal, the first train would depart Wrexham at 6.05am and arrive at London Euston at 9.32am.
A WSMR spokesperson said: "Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway is committed to delivering the connectivity that communities across Wales and England need and deserve. Our resubmitted application reflects stakeholder feedback and demonstrates how we’ve listened to MPs and regional partners who urged us to reapply.
"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. 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."
The ORR rejected WSMR's original application on the grounds that the proposed service would be "detrimental to performance on the West Coast Main Line".
Network Rail also opposed the plans, due to timetable capacity's, 'congested' infrastructure, existing passenger flows and increased traffic that the service would bring.
