Train services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham look set to double
Commuters in Shropshire will receive an extra train between the county and Birmingham every hour as part of the renewal of a key rail franchise.
The Department for Transport has shortlisted two companies to take over the running of the West Midlands Rail Franchise from October 2017, after which the number of trains running out of the county will increase.
Current operator London Midland runs one train an hour in each direction between Shrewsbury and the second city, but as part of the renewal of the franchisee will be told to run two.
London Midland could retain the running of the network, as its parent company London and West Midlands Railway Limited is one of the two companies shortlisted.
The other is West Midlands Trains Limited, which is majority owned by Dutch transport group Abellio, with two Japanese companies as minority partners.
"Whoever wins the franchise, it will result in three trains per hour serving Telford Central and Wellington stations from December 2018 as well as improved Sunday services," said Angela McClements, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for transport.
"The increases in services, along with a doubling of off-peak services between Birmingham and Shrewsbury and a new, direct peak time service between Walsall and London are among a number of improvements resulting from West Midland Rail's influence in the design of the new franchise."
She added: "The council's hard work has encouraged both West Midlands Rail and the Department for Transport to see the need and benefit of providing increased services for Telford and Wellington to support the borough's future growth."
The new franchise also promises upgrades to services, including free WiFi on all main line services by the end of 2019, with investment in stations.
Telford's stations are on the West Midlands network, with Shrewsbury's under Arriva Trains Wales's control, although West Midlands network trains do run as far as the county town's station.
A new season ticket for passengers who do not use the train service every day will also be offered, cutting the costs for commuters who do not travel into Wolverhampton or Birmingham every day.
New train services will also be offered in the West Midlands region, including a new direct service from Walsall to London and a route travelling between Wolverhampton and Crewe via Stafford.
Telford & Wrekin Council is a member of West Midlands Rail, a company set up between the region's authorities to put across local views on services.
