Why new London rail service now?

Letter: I read with interest your article in the Shropshire Star (5 September) where Arriva Trains are planning to introduce two direct trains per day to London from Aberystwyth to London, via Shropshire.

This is one of those situations where reading between the lines is vital.

Don't get me wrong, more direct trains to London would be very welcome, provided the motives of the train operator are to be welcomed.

It's nice to see that Arriva have "received overwhelming support from stakeholders". But where was this support before Wrexham and Shropshire introduced their successful service? If Arriva propose new services at different times to Wrexham and Shropshire, great.

But I suspect their timetable and pricing, in the short term at least, may well be constructed to attract passengers off the existing service on to theirs.

After all, in the world of bus transport, Arriva, and the other major bus companies, are notorious for not fighting each other, preferring instead to bully any small local operator who dares to tread on their toes. That is why they have no real competition in Shropshire.

Arriva have also shown before that they are not averse to plundering the success of others. Let's hope that this is not to be the fate of Wrexham and Shropshire, who should be applauded and supported for what they have done.

Ewen MacLeod

Wellington