Train service could bring boost

The staggering benefit to the county has been revealed in an economic appraisal to the Office of Rail Regulator.

The Wrexham, Shropshire & Marylebone Railway Company formally applied to the Office of Rail Regulator last month to operate train services to London Marylebone.

As part of the process an economic report has been produced to highlight the benefit of the service.

MP for North Shropshire, Owen Paterson, who has been campaigning for the service, said: "It has highlighted a benefit, cost ratio of 8:1. It will cost £53 million to operate the service over 10 years, with an economic benefit of £425 million."

Mr Paterson said the service would also provide social benefits, reduce congestion on roads and people would also be spending money buying local supplies.

He added: "ORR wanted to know how economically beneficial it would be and we now know it will be high - eight times more money will be put into the economy.

"This service really can't start soon enough. It would revolutionise rail travel around here. People would start using it regularly."

The Wrexham, Shropshire & Marylebone Railway Company has applied to operate five trains a day each way between Wrexham and London on weekdays, four on Saturdays and three on Sundays.

The application follows nine months of negotiations that have involved Network Rail and rolling stock suppliers as well as MPs, Welsh Assembly Members and Government, councils, business and passenger groups.

They hope to get the service running by October.

The service would run through Wrexham, Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Wellington, Telford, Cosford, Wolverhampton and Marylebone.

A consultation is taking place this month but the ORR is expected to take several weeks to review the proposals.

Subject to a positive outcome, the company will be in a position to agree contracts and begin recruiting staff immediately.

By Suzanne Roberts