A Midlands Connect report published today highlights the concerns of Shropshire businesses and calls for a number of enhancements on the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line, saying the 'vital' route is 'frequently subject to delays and overcrowding'. Amid the calls for improvements a number of the county's leading businesses have been explaining their thoughts on current situation, its effect, and what should happen. * Asked about the impact of the current limitations of the service Joel Campbell, CEO of Cove Group which runs the Shrewsbury Prison tourist attraction, said: "The reliability of the line, and the fact that most trains run with only two carriages, presents a capacity challenge.
” Sophie Dwerryhouse of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Midlands, echoed those sentiments, saying: "The service is always incredibly busy at commuter times, and with often just two carriages to supply the demand of all the stops from Shrewsbury to Birmingham, the train isn’t large enough." Meanwhile, Alastair Godfrey of the Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings Project, agreed with concerns about capacity and reliability, outlining the need for more regular services to connect with onward journeys from Birmingham. He said: "More regular services would certainly help boost confidence in the reliability of the rail network as a mode of travel.
Currently, if someone experiences a delay in Shrewsbury, they’ll miss an onward connection in Birmingham, leaving them waiting at the station fo.