STAKEHOLDERS across Oswestry, including the town's Business Improvement District (BID) team and North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, have confirmed an 'expression of interest' has been submitted for re-connecting Oswestry to national rail.

In a meeting held on Friday, the application to be part of the government's 'reverse Beeching' policy, announced by transport minister Grant Shapps, was confirmed with a letter of support from Mr Paterson for funding to re-open long-closed lines.

Adele Nightingale, Oswestry BID manager, admitted her delight at being able to bring together the relevant bodies at short notice to complete stage one of the application, and hopes to continue to move forward with the application by March 15.

"We have been working with the Roger Date, from Cambrian Rail, and Sheila Dee (Community Rail Officer) on this project for around 12 months," she said.

"We contacted Mark Barrow at Shropshire Council last year and he called a meeting for all interested parties and they started a feasibility study.

"However, with the release of the Reversal Beeching Funding with Owen Paterson’s support we have completed the Expression of Interest as the first stage in application for monies from the funding.

"We believe we have a strong case for a successful bid in obtaining funding to look at re-instating a Community Light Rail Service from Oswestry Station to join the main rail network at Gobowen – this would include a halt at the Orthopaedic Hospital."

Mr Paterson tweeted his delight at the news. He said: "Great to submit bid for Beeching Reversal Fund.

"Community light rail service, linking Oswestry to national rail via Gobowen, will be a huge benefit to constituents travelling to Manchester, Birmingham, London and [the] world class [orthopaedic]."

The Reverse Beeching Funding is being driven by the Department for Transport, which has invited MPs, local councils and community groups across England and Wales to propose how they could use funding to reinstate axed services and restore closed stations.

This fund will be split in three ways to ensure we can support different projects at different phases of development:

  • Ideas Fund
  • accelerating existing proposals
  • proposals for new or restored stations