We believe Very Light Rail is the most appropriate form of transport to reopen the March to Wisbech route, with the existing mothballed Bramley line able to be redeveloped and utilised in the short term, and a bidirectional service providing an easy-access, affordable and scalable solution.

This would connect the 30,000 people living in Wisbech with the railway network and simply introducing a new station in the town would generate patronage demands, with an estimated 9,000 people living within 1km of the station.

The introduction of a suitable, green Very Light Rail link would also certainly reduce traffic congestion within March, improve local air quality, facilitate interregional tourism, and generate an economic and employment boost that would support the current developments already put forward by the Local Combined Authority.

The suggestion that heavy rail services ought to be prioritised for this route discards the reality that VLR is more economic in terms of CAPEX and OPEX, VLR offers greater potential for regional transport innovations, and VLR offers a faster and more convenient solution in a short-term time frame focused on patronage growth and clean, green connectivity.

Many people consider the re-opening of the Walsall to Lichfield branch line as a ‘quick win’ with regards to enhancing public transport in the Midlands. Local Transport Authorities would like to restore heavy rail services between these two locations however budgetary constraints mean that this project is deferred.

Pre Metro believe that a Very Light Rail system could be installed on this line in a cost-efficient manner, enabling passengers to travel from Walsall, Pelsall or Brownhills, to nearby Lichfield and beyond. The line could also be extended to serve the National Arboretum at Alrewas.

Passenger demand may well be extremely high on this line, and we anticipate further development along this corridor, emphasising the need for a sustainable travel solution.

Pre Metro is investigating a VLR solution that could be converted to heavy-based train services when demand and revenue permits. By adopting this approach, passengers will have access to a VLR service as opposed to having no service until the available funds or the regional needs dictate.

With the pending redevelopment of the disused power station site at Ironbridge due to deliver 1,000 new homes and business premises, access to Ironbridge will be vitally important if further road-borne congestion is to be avoided.

As a World Heritage Site, Ironbridge and its many museums attract over half a million tourists to the area every year. The gorge-based environment means that roads are narrow and winding, following the River Severn. Often in peak tourist times, the roads are heavily congested and the provision of a Very Light Railway from nearby Telford Central Rail Station would go some way to alleviate this congestion and ensure environmental benefits to the community and visitors.

Pre Metro are keen to provide a shuttle-based system from Ironbridge to Telford, not only providing public transport links from Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and Birmingham but also providing a park-and-ride site easily accessed from the M54 arterial route.

There is a proposal to reinstate the branch line that runs from the current Gobowen Railway Station south through Oswestry and beyond. With much of the old railway visible, not much investment would be required to enable a Very Light Rail type system to operate between Gobowen and Oswestry.

In addition to providing an excellent public transport link to Oswestry, the reinstatement of a passenger service shuttle would provide important access to the patients, visitors and staff at the rightly lauded Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital.

With over 10,000 procedures undertaken at this hospital every year, enabling people to access this facility would undoubtedly enhance the service offering and availability to those needing specialist care.

As one of the success stories of the DfT Restoring Your Railway scheme, we believe this proposal will be key in showcasing how our traditional heritage railway can be reinvigorated and reinvented in the 21^st century.

Pre Metro is promoting a new shuttle service from Stourbridge Junction to Brierley Hill. Utilising existing freight lines, we believe that a passenger link would be hugely beneficial to many people and local businesses.

By utilising one of the two existing heavy rail lines between Stourbridge and the Round Oak Steel Works, Pre Metro could provide a dedicated passenger service, segregated from the heavy rail freight-based traffic that would help our customers to access places like Amblecote, Brettell Lane, Merry Hill and Brierley Hill town centre.

With Midland Metro linking Brierley Hill from the Dudley side, our link would provide excellent links from mainline heavy rail services at Stourbridge Junction through to Light Rail Metro services at Brierley Hill.

The investment required to provide this link is minimal, with infrastructure works predominantly revolving around segregating two existing operational lines, one for the continued freight usage and one for passengers using our proposed VLR system.