Shropshire rail disruption 'unacceptable' says MP as train repairs see routes terminate at Wolverhampton

Shaun Davies has written to the bosses of both Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains about the problems.

This week has seen disruption for commuters using the route from Mid Wales and Shrewsbury, through Telford, into Birmingham.

Currently all Transport for Wales services are terminating at Wolverhampton, instead of continuing to Birmingham.

An update from the company said: "More trains needing repairs at the same time between Wolverhampton and Birmingham International means that trains are unable to run between these stations. As a result, trains will be cancelled or revised."

The firm said the disruption will continue "until at least Friday (November 22)."

Mr Davies, the Labour MP for Telford, said the latest issues followed repeated problems for commuters on the route.

In his letter he called for a "detailed plan" outlining the efforts to fix current problems, and prevent them happening in the future.

He said: "Over the last few days, many residents have reached out to me to share their frustrations about yet more disruption on the train line between Shrewsbury and Birmingham (via Telford).

"I hear these concerns loud and clear. Yesterday, I wrote to Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains to demand immediate action to address these ongoing issues. They must get a grip. I will keep residents updated on the response.”

In his letter Mr Davies said: "The announcement that all services will terminate at Wolverhampton due to a fleet shortage is unacceptable and has caused considerable inconvenience to passengers who rely on these services for their daily commutes and other essential travel.

"This latest disruption is not an isolated incident but rather part of a longstanding pattern of unreliable and inadequate rail services affecting Telford.

"Over the past few years, there have been numerous complaints from passengers about the reliability of services provided by both Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains.

"Issues such as frequent delays, cancellations, and overcrowded trains have been consistently reported, causing frustration and hardship for daily commuters.

"For instance, the Transport for Wales Rail Service Quality Report for 2022-23 highlighted that only 70.7 per cent of Wales Cross Border services arrived on time or were delayed by less than three minutes.

"Additionally, 29.1 per cent of these services were delayed between three and 59 minutes, and 4.32 per cent were cancelled altogether.

"These figures reflect a troubling trend of poor service quality that needs urgent attention.

"As the Member of Parliament for Telford, (and along with thousands of Telford and Shropshire residents) I urge both Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains to get a grip and take immediate action to address these systemic issues.

"It is imperative that we work together to ensure that the rail services are reliable, efficient, and capable of  meeting the needs of the community. The services you provide are critical to our economy, access to education, healthcare and the visitor economy. I request a detailed plan outlining the steps that will be taken to resolve the current disruptions and prevent similar occurrences in the future and an urgent meeting."