Petition hope for Wrexham & Shropshire train service

A petition has been launched to try to secure the future of the Wrexham & Shropshire Railway.

The service will run for the last time tomorrow after owners DB, the German national rail operator and the owner of Arriva Trains Wales, announced its closure early yesterday. Now users of the service have set up an online petition to rally public support behind the service.

News of the closure led to widespread shock and disappointment yesterday.

Mike Owen, Shropshire Council cabinet member for economy and waste, said: "Having a direct rail link between Shropshire and London - particularly one that has been popular and much respected - has helped to increase the number of visitors to the county from the south east over the past two years, which has provided a real boost to the county's tourist industry and the local economy. It has also made it easy for people from Shropshire to visit the capital for business or pleasure.

"I am very concerned by the impact on the staff and have asked our council recruitment and redundancy support group to work with Job Centre Plus and Wrexham & Shropshire railway company to find new employment and self-employment opportunities."

Montgomeryshire Welsh Assembly Member Mick Bates added: "The Wrexham & Shropshire railway provided a quality service into London, with attentive staff, great food and comfortable carriages.

"DB only acquired this service in 2008 and already they have abandoned it because profit margins weren't big enough. In doing so they are slashing a very valuable service that was appreciated and enjoyed by many people from Mid Wales."

Shrewsbury's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesman Dr Charles West said: "Shropshire deserves better than this. It's very bad news that DB, who now play an increasingly important role in running trains in the UK, have pulled the plug at such short notice."

The Shropshire Star website was flooded with comments from readers on the subject.

One comment, from Tim Wilson, read: "Wrexham and Shropshire were miles ahead of its competitors in terms of customer experience, training of staff and value."

Another, from Glyn Lloyd, described the service as: "Not only the best service to London but the best to Wrexham as well."

The online petition can be found at http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/wrexhamandshropshire