A Shropshire MP is to hold a summit meeting with the Government’s Rail Minister next week to discuss problems with overcrowding on a train service he has dubbed the “sardine express”.

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard will hold talks with Chris Mole about the future of the Arriva Trains Wales Shrewsbury to Birmingham International train service. It comes after Wellington woman Louise Jenner fainted.

She claimed she was packed “like a sardine” into one of the carriages while commuting to Wolverhampton.

Mr Pritchard, a vocal critic of the Arriva train services, said: “I will be asking for greater investment in Shropshire railway services as well as talking about health and safety issues relating to Arriva Trains Wales.

“Local people are fed up with overcrowded trains despite fares going up.

“People should not be crushed into two carriages when train companies should lay on three or even four carriages. In the case of an emergency these overcrowded trains could turn into death traps.”

Last June Mr Pritchard warned carriages were so congested on the Arriva Train Wales service people could be injured or even killed if the trains were ever involved in a collision or forced to stop suddenly.

Mrs Jenner passed out while on the rush hour Shrewsbury to Birmingham International train on Tuesday morning.

She said she was shunted into the walkway of one of the two carriages, unable to move, and felt hot, sick and dizzy before fainting just outside Wolverhampton.

The Wellington woman said there were no Arriva staff in sight and she had to be brought round by fellow passengers, who gathered her belongings together and gave her a drink of water.

She echoed Mr Prit-chard’s concerns today, saying: “No adequate ex- planation is given for lack of carriages and when this happens the train is very close to capacity when it leaves Shrewsbury, never mind when it stops at Wellington or Telford.

“What would have happened if there had been an accident?

“I very much doubt there would have been many survivors given the conditions we were travelling in.”

An Arriva Trains Wales spokeswoman said “rigorous measures” were in place to prevent overcrowding on its trains.

By Wayne Beese