The petition of residents of England and Wales,
Declares that the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway has submitted proposals to restore direct rail services between Wrexham, Shropshire, the Midlands and London, which would offer significant economic, social and environmental benefits for the communities along the route; further declares that the establishment of these new direct services would improve transport links, access to health services, and strengthen regional economies across North Wales, Shropshire and the Midlands.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to support the proposal for a Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway by encouraging the Office of Rail and Road and Network Rail to work constructively with the operator to enable the establishment of new direct services between London and North Wales, Shropshire and the Midlands.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Julia Buckley, Official Report, 20 May 2026; Vol. 786, c. 666.]
[P003201]
Observations from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, Minister for Rail, Department for Transport:
Access to the rail network is currently a matter for the Office of Rail and Road under existing legislation. The Department is unable to direct the ORR in its decision making.
The Department is clear that, in the right circumstances, open access can provide a number of benefits for passengers.
We understand the potential connectivity benefits that Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway’s proposals could deliver, and for that reason have provided conditional support for its application.
This is subject to the ORR and Network Rail being satisfied that services can be accommodated without compromising network performance and without adversely affecting the rights of other operators.
The ORR is now assessing the application’s feasibility and will consider whether access rights should be granted in line with its statutory duties.