Helen urges Government to back Oswestry rail bid

Helen Morgan spoke out in Parliament to urge the Government to back Oswestry’s bid to reconnect the town’s train line to Gobowen.

It comes after a business case was submitted that outlines how Oswestry and Gobowen could be reconnected and Oswestry’s residents given much better access to the national rail network.

The restored railway would link Oswestry with the mainline station at Gobowen, with the business case proposing a very light rail connection that stops at the Orthopaedic Hospital.

Transport between Oswestry and Gobowen is very limited which slows down journey times and makes travel difficult for people without access to a car.

Helen, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, has campaigned to bring better public transport to the area since her election in December 2021 and has given her full backing to the bid to re-establish the Oswestry-Gobowen line.

Helen stood up in Parliament to highlight the strength of the case and urge Rail Minister Huw Merriman to back the bid.

Speaking afterwards, Helen Morgan MP said,“The case for connecting Oswestry and Gobowen is clear and this bid deserves full Government support.

“Travelling by public transport from Oswestry is far too difficult and takes far too long. Boosting our public transport connections will help grow the economy, help patients and staff get to hospital and help everyone with limited access to a car.

“I look forward to following this up with the Rail Minister.”

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Full exchange:

Speaking in the Commons, Helen Morgan MP said:

“I've been proud to support an application to reconnect Oswestry with Gobowen in my constituency on an existing railway line that's been closed for a number of years.

“We submitted that bid in September, it's an excellent bid and I wonder if the Minister would be able to update me as to when we might hear about the outcome of that bid and, ideally, whether he'll be supporting that bid to restore the connection between Oswestry and Gobowen.”

Rail Minister Huw Merriman responded:

“The Restoring Your Railway program is delivering on eight lines and another 32are in business case or other progression. I'm very happy to write to the Honourable Lady and give her detail on the specific project that she talks to, but in my view, Mr. Speaker, the Restoring Your Railway has been a great success.”