Owen Paterson welcomes Virgin’s decision to drop plans for rival rail service.
Posted by Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire, at 16:15, Tue 14 April 2009:
14th April 2009
Owen Paterson is delighted that Virgin Trains has confirmed that it will not go ahead with its plans to introduce a direct train service from Shrewsbury to London in direct competition with Wrexham and Shropshire which runs services from Wrexham and Gobowen. It is a common misconception that running trains from Shrewsbury serves everyone in Shropshire; Wrexham and Shropshire’s trains from Gobowen save a 45 minute drive for many.
Owen expressed his serious concerns relating to the rumours of a rival Virgin service at a meeting he organised with the Trains Minister, Lord Adonis and fellow Shropshire MPs.
The position of all the local MPs was that they are all in favour of competition. However, it would not have been right for Virgin to go ahead with proposals for a rival operation backed by £162million of public subsidy whilst Virgin’s franchise contracts exclude Wrexham & Shropshire from competing equally with them; Wrexham and Shropshire do not currently have free access to Birmingham International and Wolverhampton.
Owen said “I am pleased that our campaign has been successful and Virgin have decided not to go ahead with a proposal which would have been a great threat to the excellent service provided by Wrexham and Shropshire. Wrexham & Shropshire service should be given further time to bed in. By 2012, the competition restrictions in Virgin’s franchise will have expired and track upgrades will have improved journey times allowing Wrexham & Shropshire to reach London in just 2 ½ hours from Shrewsbury. It is right that subsidised operators should not operate a service until these circumstances, allowing fair competition, are in place.”
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Posted by PAUL DAVIES, 21:23, Tue 14 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Dear Mr Patterson, I am still waiting for a reply to a question I sent to you 2 years ago about why my/our tax money is being spent on drug addicts in Afganistan. Still no reply from you! What a surprise. Instead you send me this drivvle about trains. What a surprise, people are now painting ALL politicians with the same brush. The quicker you money grabbing muppets ( all politicians )are out of power the better for this country, the better. What honestly, have you done for the better of the people of this country? Don't say education or health! If the British taxpayer didnt pay tax and instead paid it straight to school or hospitals, etc. The hospitals and schools would be better off, run better, cos as we all know to many cooks spoil the broth. But then you money grabbers in Whitehall wouldnt get anything. WHICH SHOULD BE THE CASE! YOU DON'T DESERVE ANYTHING, FOR LYING, AND CHEATING THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY TO FEATHER YOUR OWN NEST. P.S. I want to have a new bathroom, can I put a claim in, to your constituents. A new tv would be nice as well thank you