A SHAKE-UP of which firm will run busy rail lines between Worcestershire and London is a chance to deliver “a true hourly service” to the capital, say MPs.

The Government is asking passengers what they want from the new Great Western rail franchise which will govern the Cotswold Line route out of London to Oxford through to Malvern, Ledbury and Hereford.

The consultation, which runs until March, will help form the contract offered to rail operators who want to bid to run the franchise.

It is currently run by First Great Western.

Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, has written to the Department for Transport asking how it plans to make services more frequent for commuters.

Mrs Baldwin said getting rail travel was a priority for business and tourism growth in the county.

“I will be working with my Westminster collegues to push for a better franchise promise from the local line operators and more investment in line improvements to Oxford.”

Peter Luff, MP for Mid- Worcestershire, said the shake-up was a chance to demand a faster hourlyservice from the county to London.

Mr Luff said: “Moving to a true hourly service in both directions, with something much closer to the same minutes past each hour for departures, would greatly enhance passenger confidence in and use of the service.

“The full potential of the Cotswold Line is not being achieved because of long journey times, irregular service pattern and inadequate car parking.”

The consultation document itself makes a series of assertions and includes several aspirations, for example getting one train-per-hour running between London and Worcester, from 2018, with extensions to Great Malvern.

The consultation recorded how busy franchise railway stations were listing Evesham as generating 200,000 journeys, Pershore 58,000 and Honeybourne 35,000 annually.

To respond to the consultation e-mail GWconsultation@dft.gsi.gov.

uk or write to: Department for Transport, Great Western franchise replacement consultation, Franchise Consultation Manager, Zone 3/14 Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR.