West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has today backed plans which will aim for extra train services offered at the popular Worcestershire Parkway train station.

Last week, Harriett joined civic dignitaries, local councillors and the team responsible for delivering the new station to formally celebrate its opening – although the station opened up for passengers immediately before the start of the pandemic.

So far, more than 500,000 people have used the station and it is performing well ahead of expectations.

The major train operator, Cross Country, already offers services from the station and it has committed to adding extra services for customers in the future.

The confirmation was welcomed by Harriett, who campaigned first for the station to be built and then for it to be used more to add wider connectivity for local commuters.

Harriett said:

“The Worcestershire Parkway station is an amazing asset for the county and I was delighted to join the new Lord Lieutenant, Beatrice Grant, celebrating the station’s success.

“At the event, I heard positive messages from both GWR and Cross Country that the station is performing well and it is now really important that we exploit this opportunity to add more services.

“Already, rail users can head west and south-east to major cities but I am keen to see the Bristol to Manchester service stopping at the station and hopefully in the future, also the Plymouth to Newcastle route.

“At a time when we are working towards our national zero carbon targets, it could not be a better time to add more routes and more capacity to our local train network.

“I’m still pressing for station improvements at Pershore and also the extra dualling of the North Cotswold Line, but it is important to celebrate each milestone as we commit to offering a vastly improved train service for Worcestershire.”

Photo: Sir Peter Luff, Councillor Simon Geraghty, Councillor Linda Robinson, Harriett Baldwin MP and Councillor Mike Rouse.