BEARDIE BLOCKS BLACK COUNTRY ROUTE TO LONDON

28-04-2008

Black Country rail passengers are celebrating a new direct service to London today – unless they live in Wolverhampton. The service passes through the city’s railway station, but thanks to Richard Branson, they can’t get on or off there.

First the good news. The Wrexham and Shropshire Railway operates between North Wales and the capital, and includes stops in Cosford – just outside Wolvo - and Tame Bridge in Walsall.

Fares start at £22 and the route is a welcome addition to the region’s public transport options (www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk).

It’s not quite as useful as it might be, though, thanks to the intervention of that well known champion of free enterprise Beardie Branson - as reveealed on The Stirrer last September (see link here).

His Virgin Trains company activated a "moderation of competition" clause in their franchise agreement, which basically protects them from having a direct competitor on their routes.

This means that although train passes through Wolverhampton, Wulfrunians heading to London will forced to endure the inconvenience of going to either Cosford or Tame Bridge - and on their return journey they'll have to disembark there too.

No doubt Branson is hoping that they'll just plump for the easier option of using Virgin Trains who are allowed to pick up and drop off passengers in the city.

Few would blame the bearded one for doing the best for his business of course, but the scenario makes a mockery of the so-called "competition" provided by a privatised rail service.

As Wrexham and Shropshire's debut service is showered with champagne today, we can’t see anyone raising a glass to the government’s favourite transport knight.

Join the "Free The Railways - Privatise Them Once And For All" thread on The Stirrer Forum.