Company plans for new Shropshire to London rail service

The plan would see new, daily train services between Wrexham General and London Euston, serving existing rail stations at Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes Central.

WSMR intends to be an ‘open access’ train operator which is wholly commercial and does not require government subsidy.

To proceed with its proposals, WSMR requires approval from the Government’s Office of Rail and Road.

A former train operating company, Wrexham & Shropshire, ceased providing the service in January 2011 after just three years in what was described as a "shock closure".

The company blamed the "unprecedented economic environment" and said although it had tried to increase passenger numbers "it has been determined that the business has no prospect of reaching profitability".

Currently, Shropshire has two direct train to London Euston daily, which services Shrewsbury, Wellington and Telford stations.

Last week, MP Mark Pritchard wrote to the director of the new WSMR to call for its planned service to stop at Wellington station, after he said the company had asked for his support in their application.

In his letter to Ian Walters, director of WSMR, the Wrekin MP wrote: “I note the proposal to introduce new daily services which call at Shrewsbury station in the Shrewsbury constituency and Telford Central station in the Telford constituency, but not the well-used Wellington Station in my constituency of The Wrekin.

"As a result, the new services would be of little or no benefit to my constituents. If WSMR is to redirect resources from the Avanti West Coast service, which currently offers a direct service to London from Wellington, it is particularly important that WSMR operates services from Wellington.

"I could not support proposals which could see Wellington lose its direct services to London."