Subsection 7. The Cotswold Line’s rôle within the National Rail Network

There are a number of opportunities for the Cotswold Line’s rôle within the National Rail Network to be enhanced. The CLPG believes these must be considered within the Cotswold Line Strategy if the benefits to the financial viability of the line itself and the national network, together with the environment, are to be realised : -

a) Re-integration of Worcester into the South-West to Birmingham InterCity network, given both its size as a city, and its strategic position in the south-west Midlands.

b) Development of Stourbridge/Kidderminster to London traffic via Worcester, currently encouraged via Birmingham due to fare structures.

c) Enhancement of connections at Hereford to the north-west/South Wales route operated by Wales & West Railway.

d) Development of new traffic flows if proposals to re-open the line from Honeybourne to Stratford-upon-Avon were carried out : -

London to Stratford-upon-Avon.
South Midlands route from Worcester and Evesham to Stratford-upon-Avon
and Birmingham.
Direct access to the Cotswolds at Moreton-in-Marsh from Birmingham.
Connections to the preserved Gloucester-Warwickshire Railway, which hopes to run in the future from Cheltenham Racecourse to Honeybourne via Broadway
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Back to Subsection 6.

Forward to Subsection 8.