Politicians move to quash rumours that Oswestry to Gobowen rail line could be scrapped
Politicians have quashed rumours that plans to reopen the rail line from Oswestry to the mainline station at Gobowen have been pulled.
In October the Government said that some of the money from cancelling the next phase of the HS2 railway would be used to create a community rail link between Gobowen, the Orthopaedic Hospital and Oswestry.
A post on social media claimed that rather than reopening the rail track the route was going to be used for a cycleway instead.
But both the MP, Helen Morgan, and Conservative parliamentary candidate for North Shropshire, Simon Baynes, moved to quash the suggestion.
Mrs Morgan said: "There is no truth at all to the rumour that the Oswestry to Gobowen line is being scrapped.
“Network Rail are proceeding with plans at pace, and I’m in regular contact with the Department for Transport to make sure Oswestry is firmly on the agenda.
Mr Baynes said: "I have checked with the Department for Transport and they confirmed that the Prime Minister’s decision to reopen the Oswestry-Gobowen railway line is going ahead as planned."
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Restoring railways drives tourism, boosts local businesses and encourages investment to the region.
"As part of our Network North plan, we’ve committed to restoring the Oswestry to Gobowen line and more details will be announced in due course.”
While some people on the Ask Oswestry Facebook page welcome the plans to reopen the line - which was axed in the 1960 as part of the Beeching cuts - others how questioned whether it is viable. Some have said regular buses between Gobowen and Oswestry would be the answer.
