Renewed pledge to press for improved rail connectivity

www.bromsgroverail.org.uk

The “new” Bromsgrove station was opened in July 2016, and was constructed with four platforms so that it could be used as an “interchange” station. However, nearly seven years later, there is still only one “interchange” possible, that to/from the WMR (West Midlands Railways) Cross City service to/ from the WMR Birmingham New Street to Hereford service, and there is only one train an hour in total, on both the WMR and the Cross Country Trains (XC) service which travels south, which passengers from Bromsgrove station can catch.

As I have written before, this is disadvantageous to the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of the people and businesses of the town and the North East Worcestershire district. Why should it be so time consuming and/or expensive to travel to Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Malvern, Worcester and beyond from Bromsgrove, when there are railway services, potentially easily accessible, on which people can reach those destinations?

Improved services, and awareness of those services, will generate improved business for the two train operating companies. One has only to look at Worcestershire Parkway station, opened three years ago, where the usage is in excess of the forecasts as people realise where they can travel to, either directly or with only one change of train.

BARRUP will continue and increase its efforts to have the XC Nottingham to Cardiff service, which stops at Parkway station and Cheltenham Spa, to stop also at Bromsgrove, and to have every train on the WMR New Street to Hereford service stopping at Barnt Green.

Compared to the three services a day which stop currently, this would enable people from Alvechurch, Barnt Green and Redditch not only to travel directly, or with one change, to Worcester, Malvern and Hereford, but also to join the southbound XC services at Bromsgrove.

Success will not be easy or quick. BARRUP is dealing with WMR and XC, which have little financial incentives currently to seek more business with new initiatives, and Worcestershire County Council, for which Bromsgrove and North East Worcestershire are a neglected area as far as rail services are concerned, but we shall persevere.

If you would like to add your voice by becoming a member of BARRUP, email memsec@bromsgroverail. org.uk and we will get in touch with you.

by Nick Taylor