CHANGES to rail routes could mean that four long distance train services may no longer stop at Bromsgrove’s new railway station.
The alterations have been put forward by Cross Country Trains which provide daily services from the town to Cardiff, Nottingham, Gloucester and Stansted Airport.
The proposed cuts, revealed in the rail company’s future timetable consultation document, have come under fire from Bromsgrove Rail User Group (BRUG) and Coun Sean Shannon who raised the issue at last Wednesday’s full district council meeting.
A motion was put forward and agreed by members that Bromsgrove District Council’s Chief Executive Kevin Dicks would write to Cross Country Trains to voice objections to the proposed reduction.
Coun Shannon said: “Plans to cut long distance rail travel options for Bromsgrove’s residents flies in the face of both BRUG and local councillors’ campaigns to see an expansion of services from Bromsgrove rather than complete withdrawal.
“With the arrival of the new station campaigners were hoping for extra southbound train services to Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bristol, Taunton, Exeter and even Plymouth. – these trains already pass through Bromsgrove.”
Mike Ponsomby, chair of BRUG, said: “We thoroughly oppose the plans by Cross Country Trains to withdraw these services from Bromsgrove Station.
“The ever-increasing footfall requires more trains not less – particularly southbound where we will be able to access more long distance services from Cheltenham.”
He added BRUG would be taking up the matter with both Cross Country Trains and through the Transport Minister via MP Sajid Javid.
A spokesman for CrossCountry said: “We are currently consulting on possible changes to our services across England, Scotland and Wales.
“These would be delivered by making better use of all our available trains, concentrating our long distance services on the core network where demand is highest.
“As these changes are proposed for December 2017 they would complement the extended Cross City Line services at Bromsgrove, which will deliver a significantly enhanced service at this station, far above the proposed removal of four CrossCountry trains each day.”
She added the consultation was open until January 2 and urged any interested people or organisations to visit www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk and submit their views on the changes.”
