Owen Paterson reveals progress over Shropshire direct rail link

The MP, in a letter to Oswestry Town Council, says he hopes Virgin Trains will agree to start a regular direct county service to the capital this year.

And he said he was in regular contact with Government officials over the project.

Fears had grown that Shropshire could be without a direct connection to the capital for years to come as a result of the West Coast Mainline franchise fiasco.

Stations in the county, including Gobowen and Shrewsbury, did have a direct London service through the Wrexham Shropshire Marylebone Railway company.

But that service came to an end in 2011 and hopes of a new service were dashed after civil servants bungled the franchise process.

Mr Paterson is leading calls for the link to be restored and Oswestry town councillors will hear on Monday he has been in talks with Government officials.

In his letter to the council, Mr Paterson said: "Following a private conversation that I had with the new secretary of state Patrick McLoughlin, I wrote to the minister responsible Simon Burns and to the secretary of state himself.

"As you know Virgin has been granted an extension to run the West Coast Mainline for the next 23 months.

"We have kept in close touch on this issue and I am delighted that he has asked Virgin Trains to look at starting a Shropshire service in 2013."

Mr Paterson added in his letter: "We met again last week and I was very encouraged by the progress.

"I have emphasised the importance of any service extending past Shrewsbury, through Gobowen and on to Wrexham."

Town councillors will discuss the latest rail situation at the authority's finance and general purposes meeting on Monday at the Guildhall in Oswestry, at 7pm.

By Iain St John