Shropshire received a major double transport boost today, as vital new links to the nation’s roads and rail network were announced.
The long campaign for a direct rail service between the county and London has finally borne fruit, as a renewed Virgin Trains franchise agreement was revealed to include a stipulation that the operator must include the route.
Virgin also used the announcement to confirm its plans to run seven days of services between the county and the capital, beginning in December.
The company will now submit a request to the Office of Rail Regulation to extend current services from London. Under the plans, Shrewsbury would have two services in each direction Monday to Saturday and one service in each direction on Sunday. Midweek servies leave Shrewsbury at 6.39am and 3.24pm with return services leaving London Euston at 10.23am and 6.23pm.
Meanwhile, drivers waiting for a motorway link road between the M54 and the M6 Toll have received the clearest indication yet that the Government is prepared to provide the link road, after a response to a question from Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski in the House of Commons.
The rail service was revealed today, with Rail Minister Stephen Hammond stopping in Shrewsbury to announce the news on the main platform of the town’s railway station.
The franchise agreement for Virgin has been renewed, ahead of a full competitive tender in 2017. And campaigners had demanded that it include the direct rail link, with Mr Kawczynski telling Mr Hammond last week that the new franchise “must” include the route.
The Shrewsbury MP today hailed the news as an important boost to the county’s economy and tourism.
He said: “This is an important announcement for Shrewsbury and Shropshire. I have been campaigning for this for many years. It will be a boost for our economy but also for tourism.”
Shropshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive, Richard Sheehan, said: “It’s very positive news that Shropshire is being recognised in this way.
“All too often we have felt like we have been ignored, not listened to, and left to our own devices, so it is testament to the collaboration between many groups and organisations that these projects are getting off the ground.
“It’s fantastic that Shropshire is being recognised as worthy of this significant investment.”
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the announcement was part of the Government’s long-term economic plan to drive forward the economy and “provide better services now and great services with HS2”.
He added: “The West Coast provides a vital artery between London and Scotland and it is crucial we do everything we can to improve services on this much-used route.”
As part of the deal, Virgin has committed to employing at least 30 apprentices, 18 traineeships, four Network Rail Track and Train graduate placements, 12 Virgin Red Track scheme participants and 12 ex-offenders through the St Giles Trust.
The operator also said there will be “significant improvements” for customers with the introduction of free superfast WiFi, more seats and new services.
Virgin Trains previously lost out to FirstGroup in the battle for a new 13-year West Coast franchise, but the process was scrapped by the Department for Transport due to errors in the bidding process. It resulted in a temporary deal allowing Virgin to run the West Coast service. Virgin is paying £430 million to the Government over the course of the contract.
The franchise serves more than 30 million passengers a year and covers areas including London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Strathclyde and Lothian.
Virgin said 21 trains will have one of their first class carriages converted to standard class, for a net increase of 2,100 seats per day.
The new agreement will run until April 2017 after which a new competed long-term franchise is expected to commence.
