Across the UK, smaller towns and rural communities are being left behind by national transport investment. While major cities benefit from multi-billion-pound projects, many areas still struggle with poor connectivity, congestion, and limited access to sustainable transport options.

However, hidden in plain sight lies a major opportunity. Disused and underutilised railway lines, many closed during the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, still carve paths through the countryside and urban centres alike. With modern technology and innovative approaches, these routes could be revitalised to create affordable, low-carbon transport links that serve the communities that need them most.

Pre Metro is leading the way in demonstrating how this can be achieved. The Stourbridge Shuttle, operated on a short branch line using lightweight, hybrid-LPG vehicles, has become one of the UK’s most reliable and cost-efficient rail services.

Offering over 99% reliability and operating at roughly half the cost of traditional heavy rail, the Shuttle proves that local rail can thrive when tailored to the needs of modern passengers.

Building on this success, Pre Metro’s proposed Dudley Dasher project would extend services to Brierley Hill, linking key locations like Merry Hill Shopping Centre with the wider national network.

Using Very Light Rail (VLR) technology and existing infrastructure, the Dasher could be delivered at a fraction of the cost of a metro extension, providing greater value to taxpayers and faster benefits to the community.

By reactivating local railways with smart, lightweight VLR, we now have the opportunity to bridge social, economic, and environmental divides.

The infrastructure already exists. The technology is ready. Now is the time to reconnect Britain’s communities – one branch line at a time.