Regulator rejects new rail link plan

PLANS to launch a new rail service linking north Wales, the West Midlands and London have been rejected by the UK Government.

- SION BARRY

Train and rail infrastructure manufacturer Alstom teamed up with Birmingham-based consultancy SLC Rail to create a new so-called "open-access rail operator" known as Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway.

Under its proposals announced last year, there would have been five daily services running to and from the capital from Monday to Saturday and four on Sundays, connecting some stations directly for the very first time.

The trains would have stopped at Wrexham General, Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton, Milton Keynes and London Euston and also taken in the new Darlaston station which is currently under construction.

However, government regulator the Office of Road and Rail (ORR) has now thrown out these proposals along with two others, saying there is not enough capacity on the West Coast Main Line to cope with the additional services.