Rail Matters from BARRUP (Bromsgrove and Redditch Rail User Partnership)
M
ark Stansfeld - Chair of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership ( L.E.P. ) and the Worcestershire 5G Consortium, tweeted recently - “Worcestershire is an exceptional location for businesses to work and invest in. Worcestershire’s connectivity is a unique selling point that sets it apart from any other region.” Not if you live in North East Worcestershire, and want to travel to and from Worcester, Malvern, Colwall, Ledbury and Hereford, - and many people do, for business, educational, cultural and entertainment reasons. If you want to travel to Droitwich, Worcester and onwards to Hereford, there is only one train an hour from Bromsgrove - and if you want to travel from Alvechurch, Barnt Green or Redditch, there are only two trains a day, both in the early mornings, and only one train, in the late afternoon, for the return journey. And all these trains travelling to and from Hereford - New Street have a long history of overcrowding.
20 Completely Bromsgrove
The answer is straightforward - every New Street to Hereford Train (and vice versa), should stop at Barnt Green and the service should be increased to every half hour. Then the new services should be promoted vigorously by West Midlands Trains, all the Local Authorities, the H and W Chamber of Commerce, the Worcestershire L.E.P and all the local business pressure groups. The improved services would lead to increased usage, with benefits to all the local economies. BARRUP is campaigning actively for these improvements in this service, for the benefit of everyone who travels by train in North East Worcestershire. www.bromsgroverail.org.uk
