merlodlliw
Established Member
Rail users urged to back direct London link fight
Interesting item from the Shropshire Star, 15 July:
Shrewsbury's MP today urged rail travellers to get behind the campaign to restore Shropshires direct train link to London. Daniel Kawczynski wants people to write to Transport Secretary Justine Greening, urging her to make the route a priority when deciding who should take over county rail services next month. He said that it was 'outrageous' such a service did not exist already.
The call follows an invitation for Shropshire MPs and county business leaders to meet Theresa Villiers, the transport minister, next week. That invitation was made after Mr Kawczynski raised the matter with David Cameron at Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday. Transport giants Main Line, Virgin, First Group, Abeillo [sic], and Keolis are all in negotiations to take over the 15-year franchise for the West Coast Main Line, which passes through the county.
The decision will be made in August, and county representatives have been pressing for whoever gets the contract to be made to reintroduce a Shropshire to London route. Mr Kawczynski said: 'We must show the Secretary of State how important this service is to Shrewsbury and Shropshire, which is why I'm asking everyone to please write a letter or e-mail urging her to consider a direct service in the coming 15-year contract decision in August. I will continue to strongly state the case to the Transport Secretary and the Prime Minister, but we also need a demonstration of strong public support. Frankly it is outrageous that we do not have this service already, and I am doing my utmost to help secure the direct link that Shrewsbury and Shropshire deserves.
'Mr Kawczynski said people can contact his office with messages of support which he will then pass on. E-mail (deleted)
Abellio and Keolis are certainly 'transport giants' as they are the nationalised railways of The Netherlands and France respectively. 'Main Line' on the other hand, does not exist. There are just four preferred bidders.
The DfT's consultation process already closed in May 2011, but it has been decided to re-open a consultation on the Train Service Requirement side of things. This is open until 17 August, and full documentation is available on the DfT website. Apparently, though, it is hoped to announce the winning bidder on 13 August, in time for the new operator to take over the service at the timetable change on 9 December. The hope must be that one or more of the bidders have offered a Shrewsbury train as an extra in their bid; whoever wins will be required to use the existing fleet of Voyagers and Pendolinos - finding a Voyager to serve Shrewsbury, since Wolverhampton - Shrewsbury is not electrified, would need some thought.
All in all, one might think that a better hope would be to persuade Chiltern Railways to extend a couple of their London - Birmingham trains to serve Shrewsbury. Their loco-hauled trains know the place well as they mostly ex-Wrexham and Shropshire ones! And does the West Coast Main Line really pass through Shropshire? The county is certainly one of the few (are there any others?) English counties with no direct London service.
Put up with permission of http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm
Interesting item from the Shropshire Star, 15 July:
Shrewsbury's MP today urged rail travellers to get behind the campaign to restore Shropshires direct train link to London. Daniel Kawczynski wants people to write to Transport Secretary Justine Greening, urging her to make the route a priority when deciding who should take over county rail services next month. He said that it was 'outrageous' such a service did not exist already.
The call follows an invitation for Shropshire MPs and county business leaders to meet Theresa Villiers, the transport minister, next week. That invitation was made after Mr Kawczynski raised the matter with David Cameron at Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday. Transport giants Main Line, Virgin, First Group, Abeillo [sic], and Keolis are all in negotiations to take over the 15-year franchise for the West Coast Main Line, which passes through the county.
The decision will be made in August, and county representatives have been pressing for whoever gets the contract to be made to reintroduce a Shropshire to London route. Mr Kawczynski said: 'We must show the Secretary of State how important this service is to Shrewsbury and Shropshire, which is why I'm asking everyone to please write a letter or e-mail urging her to consider a direct service in the coming 15-year contract decision in August. I will continue to strongly state the case to the Transport Secretary and the Prime Minister, but we also need a demonstration of strong public support. Frankly it is outrageous that we do not have this service already, and I am doing my utmost to help secure the direct link that Shrewsbury and Shropshire deserves.
'Mr Kawczynski said people can contact his office with messages of support which he will then pass on. E-mail (deleted)
Abellio and Keolis are certainly 'transport giants' as they are the nationalised railways of The Netherlands and France respectively. 'Main Line' on the other hand, does not exist. There are just four preferred bidders.
The DfT's consultation process already closed in May 2011, but it has been decided to re-open a consultation on the Train Service Requirement side of things. This is open until 17 August, and full documentation is available on the DfT website. Apparently, though, it is hoped to announce the winning bidder on 13 August, in time for the new operator to take over the service at the timetable change on 9 December. The hope must be that one or more of the bidders have offered a Shrewsbury train as an extra in their bid; whoever wins will be required to use the existing fleet of Voyagers and Pendolinos - finding a Voyager to serve Shrewsbury, since Wolverhampton - Shrewsbury is not electrified, would need some thought.
All in all, one might think that a better hope would be to persuade Chiltern Railways to extend a couple of their London - Birmingham trains to serve Shrewsbury. Their loco-hauled trains know the place well as they mostly ex-Wrexham and Shropshire ones! And does the West Coast Main Line really pass through Shropshire? The county is certainly one of the few (are there any others?) English counties with no direct London service.
Put up with permission of http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm