Rail row over London link

Tuesday 7th April 2009, 1:24PM BST.

virgin-trainsA Shropshire MP has written to a rail watchdog over what he claims is an attempt by Virgin Trains to force a smaller competitor, which provides a direct link to London, out of business.

Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire, says he is concerned that Virgin has applied to the Office of Rail Regulation to run direct services to London.

Virgin, which runs West Coast Main Line services, withdrew direct services to Shrewsbury in 2002.

patersonThe direct rail link to the capital was restored last year when train operator Wrexham & Shropshire began its service to London Marylebone. But Wrexham & Shropshire receives no subsidy and its bosses today said it would go out of business if Virgin was able to introduce a service.

However Virgin, which receives £35 million in public subsidy, said its services would complement those offered by Wrexham & Shropshire.

Mr Paterson is concerned that, if Virgin “succeeds in using the market dominance entrenched by its franchise to force out the competition, it will then withdraw the direct connections and constituents will again be forced to use direct Virgin services without any alternative”.

Thomas Ableman, marketing director for Wrexham & Shropshire, added: “If the Virgin service is granted approval it will put us out of business and we will have to stop operating.”

 


  1. 1
    Jeepers

    And if Wrexham and Shropshire DID go out of business, how long would Virgin keep their ‘Shropshire’ service?

    Not long! They’ve got previous history of this sort of behaviour. SO lets hope they don’t get away with it.

    Report abuse

  2. 2
    Alan Jones

    As I understand it, Virgin Trains have said they will run the service ‘until at least 2012′, by which time they will probably have caused WSMR to withdraw their service. They would probably then stop their own service, as they have done in the past, leaving passengers with no realistic alternative than to use their own existing services from Wolverhampton or Birmingham.

    And there was me thinking the idea of railway privatisation was to create fair competition.

    Report abuse

  3. 3
    Oswestrian

    Perhaps Virgin SHOULD be allowed to have its route – and as a quid pro quo they can give up the 35 million pound taxpayers handout – how does that sound?

    Report abuse

  4. 4
    Amber

    Everyone in Shropshire knows that’s what Virgin’s offer means, because we’ve lived with it before. I emailed Virgin when they talked about the Wrexham/London link and they were blatantly uninterested then in this stretch of track.

    Unfortunately the people who make the decisions don’t live in Shropshire. So probably the service will go through, then be withdrawn, and we’ll be left where we were before.

    Deliberately cut off because we’re ‘not worth’ a proper service to London.

    And to think, a couple of years ago residents in Ashford (Kent) got cross about the idea of losing their direct rail service to Brussels…must be nice to be in that position, huh ^_^

    Report abuse

  5. 5
    J.Woodhead

    There is a way to ensure Wrexham and Shropshire don’t go out of business, everyone uses that company and ignores Virgin. It’s the only way the public can ensure they are recognised. This goes for many other things as well

    Report abuse

  6. 6
    Martin George

    If the Virgin service does go ahead I would urge the public to consider the similarities between the two services.
    1) They are both train services
    2) See number 1 above

    Now lets consider the differences
    1) Shropshire and Wrexham have staff who recognise you as a fare paying passenger
    2) Shropshire and Wrexham provide you with food that you actually enjoy
    3) Shropshire and Wrexham have toilets that always work and don’t smell
    4) Shropshire and Wrexham ask for comments, but unlike Virgin they actually listen and where possible improve their service as a result.

    I’m sorry Virgin but when it comes to passenger service you are only just above the relegation zone of Division 3, whilst Shropshire and Wrexham are challenging for the title in the Premiership

    Report abuse

  7. 7
    Lou Gladden

    I’ll stick with Wrexham and Shropshire for a start you get a seat it’s clean with pleasent service and the food is excellent.

    Report abuse

  8. 8
    PAULO

    WE SHOULD ALL AS CONSUMERS, VOTE WITH OUR FEET AND GO WITH WREXHAM AND SHROPSHIRE LINE, COME ON PEOPLE I CHALLENGE YOU, IF YOU BELEIVE IT, DO IT, YOU ARE CONSUMERS, GO WITH THE COMPANY THAT STANDS ON ITS OWN TWO FEET OR THE MULTINATIONALAL WHO LIVES OF STATE DOLE, YOUR CHOICE, YOUR MONEY, YOUR TICKET, YOU DECIDE!

    Report abuse

  9. 9
    Y Mab Darogan

    Time for the voice of reason and sense. No train line should exist between Shropshire and London. People who wish to work in London and be paid greater than equiv workers in Shropshire should either work in Shropshire or live in London.

    Far too many young couples and families are priced out of Shropshire villages by people who live in London or work in London raising the price of property in Shropshire villages.

    Report abuse

  10. 10
    L Williams

    I am a regular traveller to London from Shrewsbury and try hard to use the wrexham service. We must try and keep the Shropshire & Wrexham service going. I agree with 6. Martin George above. Virgin will surely change their mind/service once they have got us comfortably on board.

    Report abuse

  11. 11
    johnston

    more trains the better i say, lets have them both but agree support wrexham lot first and fore most

    Report abuse

  12. 12
    idon'tbelieveit

    I suspect the price differential between Virgin and Shropshire & Wrexham will mean that most of us will not be using Virgin!
    The cost of a ticket to London changing at Birmingham is extortionate with Virgin and a fraction of the cost with Shropshire & Wrexham….

    Report abuse

  13. 13
    hhh

    we must all support local businesses shops and stuff through this recession, buy local in small amounts from small companies i say for the sake of us all

    Report abuse

  14. 14
    bluewolf

    im surprised you havent reported that virgin have withdrawn their request to run this service as of the 9th april, surely thats worth reporting (and celebrating)

    Report abuse

  15. 15
    Pete

    what would the MP know about trains, he gets 40 p a mile milage allowance from the public purse, we have seen his recpeipts/claims

    Report abuse

  16. 16
    Tory Boy

    all the trains get tax payer subsidies yet i in my car pay nothing but taxes to travel and park, i think thats wrong, its an EU thing taxes us like that, when we get in we will sort that out and invest more into the motoring majority not trains

    Report abuse

  17. 17
    john

    When the direct rail route by Wrexham & Shropshire was muted Virgin wouldn’t even allow W & S to use New St. station route because they didn’t like the competition.Now Virgin want to run a direct service.Bizarre.The bigger the company you are the more bully boy tactics are used to get your own way.
    Y Mab Darogan
    “No train line should exist between Shropshire and London. People who wish to work in London and be paid greater than equiv workers in Shropshire should either work in Shropshire or live in London.”
    oh a really workable solution,and you call that reason and sense?

    Report abuse

  18. 18
    green guru

    trains deserve a subsidy because they are less carbon dioxide than cars

    go green let the train take the strain, ignore the tory they are just pretending to be green to get elected as its fashionable

    Report abuse

  19. 19
    B JONES

    Freight trains are not subsidised they run at a profit, as do open access railway companies such as WSMR, Grand Central, Hull Trains & Heathrow Express.

    Railfreight companies such as EWS/DB, Freightliner, DRS & GBRF make more money for the Railway industry than any franchised passenger railway companies.

    In the old days of British Rail it was only the Intercity long distance operations, Freight & Postal work & some Network Southeast commuter operations that ran at a profit, this profit was then generally ploughed into BR’s rural passenger services such as those in Shropshire & Wales that did’nt make a penny.

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