Plans have been revealed for a new open access rail service connecting North Wales, Shropshire, the Midlands and London.
Rail equipment manufacturer Alstom has teamed up with rail consultant and project delivery company SLC Rail with the aim of launching services under the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR) brand.
A formal application is being submitted to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) with plans to launch passenger services from next year.
The proposals call for a service of five trains per day in each direction from Monday to Saturday, and four in both directions on Sundays. The service would depart from Wrexham General and stop at Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Darlaston, Walsall, Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes before arriving at London Euston.
Alstom said the service would bypass Birmingham – “one of the most complex and congested parts of the British rail network” – by using the Sutton Park line, which is currently only used for freight services.
The group said this would allow Wolverhampton and Walsall to serve Nuneaton directly for the first time, “offering new travel options across the West Midlands, North Warwickshire and beyond”.
If the move is successful, Alstom will operate its own rail service in the UK for the first time, under open access rules that fall outside the government's franchised rail operations.
Alstom said that “WSMR offers passengers in Wrexham, Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Walsall and Coleshill a direct link to the capital, along with Darlaston once its new station opens”, adding that “journey times between Shrewsbury and Walsall will be drastically reduced compared to the current alternative.” ”.
The group estimates it would serve a core catchment area of around 1.5 million people outside London, and that this figure will grow by 16 per cent over the next decade.
Avanti West Coast currently operates between Wrexham General and London Euston, calling at Chester, Crewe and Rugby.
Some readers will also remember open access operator Wrexham and Shropshire, which ran services between Wrexham and London's Marylebone station between 2008 and 2011.
Grand Union, another potential open access rail operator, has been given permission to operate services between Carmarthen in south west Wales and London Paddington in 2022.
The company had originally planned to launch services in 2023, but its website currently states that “the planned 2025 start cannot currently be achieved due to long lead times for newly built trains, and Grand Union is exploring various options to provide this important service as they move forward.” possibly soon.”
Grand Union wants to boost rail connections between South Wales and London
Grand Union also recently received permission from the ORR to operate services between Stirling and London.
Nick Crossfield, Alstom's managing director for the UK and Ireland, commented on the news:
“As the country's leading supplier of rolling stock and rail services, it makes perfect sense that we now move to operating our own fleet to serve passengers directly. Having been part of the UK's railway fabric for two centuries, we are excited to be entering this new era as an open access operator.
“Alstom is also committed to embedding sustainability into every element of our organisation, and WSMR will help drive a modal shift from road to rail by offering a greener alternative for travelers across England and Wales.”
alstom.com
