Anger after Shropshire to London rail link launch is scrapped

Virgin has dumped proposals for a serviceto be launched in May – instead putting plans back until December.

The latest hammer blow to the long running campaign to restore a direct connection to the capital came after criticism of the timing of the new service.

Virgin insists it is working towards developing a better timetable to allow passengers to travel easily between Euston Station and Shrewsbury, Telford and Wellington.

In a statement, the rail company said: "The proposed timings were unattractive from a customer point of view. Services would not have been economically viable."

Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski said: "I am appalled at these two principal players' inability to engage with one another.

"Virgin Trains and Network Rail, through their own selfish reasons and complete disinterest in working together, are not the ones who lose out. It is the people of Shropshire who lose out, and I am not prepared to see that happen."

Shropshire's top political figures today reacted with dismay and fury after the latest blow, which leaves the county facing another seven months to wait before the rail route is introduced.

Shrewsbury mayor Jon Tandy added: "I am shocked that they have cancelled this service. Why can't we have this sorted out? Why do we have to wait until December?

"If we are to get international trade to come to Shrewsbury and carry on expanding, we need to have a direct route as soon as possible. If I can do anything to speed it all up in any way, I will go anywhere Virgin wants us to go.

"At least we would have had something in place so that it could be changed and updated. To just cancel the service should not really be an option."

Hopes had been high for improvements to the service after Transport Minister Patrick McLoughlin last week ordered officials to hold talks with Network Rail to increase the number of services and that may yet bear fruit, but not before the county once again misses out on its direct rail link.

The planned service was to leave Shrewsbury via Telford and Wellington at 4.03pm on weekdays and arrive in London at 6.32pm. But the next direct service back to the county would have left London Euston at 11.33am and arrive in Shrewsbury at 1.50pm.

Councillor Kuldip Sahota, the leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "This is bad news for Telford & Wrekin, for local people and businesses. We are hoping they will restore it as soon as possible"

Councillor Keith Barrow, leader of Shropshire Council, said: "It wasn't going to be very well used because of the times, but it's incredibly disappointing that we haven't got a direct service that works for business and tourism.

"I drove to Birmingham International and got a train from there into central London recently."

Commuters at Shrewsbury railway station expressed their disappointment too.

Owen Yeomans, 23, from Chatford Drive, Shrewsbury, said: "It's a real shame because it would have brought more business to Shrewsbury.

"The town is getting bigger so it could have helped us to expand even further. It would have put us on the map and brought more customers into our store."

Ian Smith, 52, from Crew Green, said: "We were looking forward to the future. I think I would have potentially used the rail link. But at the same time these things happen. You can't expect everything so it's just one of those things," he added.

Clive Norgrove, 59, from St Michael's Street in Shrewsbury, said: "I think it's absolute madness.

"It would have been a lovely thing to have in this part of the world. Our MP Daniel Kawczynski has worked incredibly hard in trying to make this happen.

"There is no reason whatsoever why it can't go ahead."

Dave Griffiths, 49, of Chapel Lane, Nockin Heath, who operates the Station Shop convenience store at Shrewsbury railway station, said: "It is a shame. It was encouraging when I first found out about it, particularly for my business. It would have meant more customers passing by and now we won't have nearly as many."

• Star comment: Train link needs to be sorted