Railway Upgrades Would Significantly Boost Worcestershire Economy

Hey, guess what I read? The North Cotswold Line needs some upgrades. Right now, it connects Worcestershire to London. Trains only run once per hour. More people choose trains for travel. So, they want to improve things.

A task force aims to change the train schedule. It includes the county council. Simon Geraghty wants better connections. He leads Worcestershire County Council. He said it helps Worcestershire’s economy. More train trips mean more visitors.

More frequent trains will help. Quicker services matter too. You could reach Oxford and London easier. This benefits all by making things smoother. Years ago, this line had two tracks. Trains moved both directions. But, they cut back the railway. It was deemed unprofitable then.

They removed one track for some areas. Evesham and Worcester now have only one. This limits how many trains travel there. This causes delays sometimes. The updates add better infrastructure. They also want to rebuild the second track. This enables more trains hourly. They plan to double the services.

Better trains benefit communities. It also helps the UK’s green plans. The council spokesperson mentioned this idea directly. This aligns with environmental goals. The improvements aid East West Rail. Together, the lines will do more. Journeys span from Wales to East England. This helps travelers so much.

These plans are part of a strategy. The Worcestershire Rail Investment Strategy lasts 25 years. It intends to improve rail travel long term. The strategy adds more services. Worcestershire will connect to more places. This includes the North, East Midlands, and other areas. South Wales and the South West also gain.