West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has renewed her efforts to kickstart a project which aims to double more stretches of rail track between Oxford and Worcester.

And the MP quizzed Transport Minister Huw Merriman in the House of Commons about the status of a project which is identifying a plan to deliver faster more, frequent trains for county commuters through track improvements.

The Minister invited Harriett to a meeting with officials to discuss the proposal which will see two stretches of line doubled – near to Oxford and between Worcester and Pershore.

Harriett said:

“Further re-doubling of sections of the North Cotswold line from Oxford to Pershore has been a long-standing ambition of local campaigners and over the last five years, a project team has been working to create a compelling business case.

“Worcestershire County Council has been allocated over £200 million from the cancellation of the HS2 extension to fund projects like this and I’ve been making the case for this money to be spent locally on a range of projects including this one. I will now take that message to the Minister.

“Alongside the £123 million Midlands Connect investment in improved rail services through the Midlands, I’d like to see the Department for Transport support the efforts of Worcestershire and Oxfordshire County Councils to deliver more Cotswold Line improvements.

“Worcestershire Parkway station is already a great success story and I continue to press for extra car parking capacity at Pershore. Our local plan for new homes should be rail-led as much as possible.

“I’ve quizzed the Minister in the House of Commons and I look forward to meeting him to help make the case for faster, more frequent, more reliable trains for West Worcestershire commuters.”