Plans to run new direct rail services to London

Plans have been announced for a new passenger rail service running direct trains between north Wales, the West Midlands and London.

Alstom and SLC Rail have formed a new open-access rail operator, called the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR).

The service will offer passengers in Wrexham, as well Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Walsall and Coleshill a direct link with the capital.

Avanti West Coast recently announced its direct train service between Shropshire and London would end in June.

Proposals for the new operation from WSMR could see five trains per day running in each direction from Monday to Saturday, with four services running in both directions on a Sunday.

Trains will stop at Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Darlaston, Walsall, Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes on the route between Wrexham General and London Euston.

The route would bypass Birmingham by utilising a railway line only used for freight services, with trains running directly from Wolverhampton and Walsall to Nuneaton for the first time, a WSMR spokesperson said.

A formal application to open the service was being submitted to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) on Thursday, they added.

If approved, the new line could begin in 2025 and could create about 50 new jobs.

The service is also set to run from Darlaston, once the new station opens.

Transport minister Huw Merriman said the "exciting" proposals could see "better connections" for communities across north Wales and the Midlands.

WSMR estimates it could service a catchment area of up to 1.5m people outside of London.

“From the Welsh borders to the Midlands, our routes will forge new connections, linking overlooked regions of England and Wales with direct services to and from London," said Ian Walters, managing director at SLC Rail.

"Passengers will benefit from more competitive fares and new technology to simplify ticket purchasing for our new services."

Nick Crossfield, managing director at Alstom, added the company was committed to "embedding sustainability" and offering a "greener alternative" for travellers.

"Having been part of the fabric of UK rail for two centuries, we’re excited to enter this new era as an open access operator," he said.

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