A SENIOR Oswestry councillor has called on Shropshire Council to financially support any proposal that would establish a shuttle bus to Gobowen railway station.

The call comes from Councillor Duncan Kerr, who also represents the town at Shropshire Council, ahead of Wednesday’s full town council meeting at the Guildhall.

In his motion, he stated that while Oswestry Town Council still supports any plan to reintroduce a rail line to Gobowen, he admitted doubts were forming over whether the new Labour government would support the re-connection.

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His motion stated: “This council has expressed its support for the restoration of the Oswestry to Gobowen railway line.

“However delays by the previous government in funding the feasibility work and uncertainty of the current government commitment to this scheme means we need to also consider alternatives to improving public transport connections for people in Oswestry.

“It is therefore resolved that the town clerk write to Shropshire Council to establish the cost to the public sector.

“And the proportion that they would be prepared to meet in the establishment of a shuttle bus service between Oswestry and Gobowen station integrated with the train timetable."

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in October last year that money that from the axed HS2 northern leg was to be redistributed to projects around the UK.

One of the projects expected to benefit was the Oswestry to Gobowen line.

A statement issued at the time of the announcement said: “(We’re) reopening closed Beeching lines including the Stoke to Leek line and the Oswestry to Gobowen line, with a new stop at Park Hall.” 

However, that plan was thrown into doubt after new Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that a spending review was being put in place to cover a £22 billion budget black hole - leaving campaigners hoping to reopen the line fearful that the project could face the axe.

As well as plans to review the current hospital building programme, the announcement included plans to review a number of infrastructure commitments made by the previous government.

Those plans included a group of 38 rail projects known as the “Restoring Your Railway” fund, which contained the Oswestry to Gobowen link.