Shrewsbury to London rail link up and running

A DIRECT rail service between Shrewsbury and London has started.

The Virgin Trains service will call at Wellington, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Coventry, Watford Junction and London Euston.

A similar service, run by Wrexham & Shropshire Trains, ended in 2011 but businesses in the area say the lack of a link has held the county back in economic terms. They have campaigned to get the route reinstated.

The service was approved by the Office of Rail Regulation in September and the first train set out from Shrewsbury at 15:24yesterday afternoon.

On weekdays, it will see two services in each direction.

Richard Sheehan, chief executive of Shropshire’s Chamber of Commerce, said it was “vitally important” for the county and would make it easier to attract inward investment to the county.