Business leaders are losing faith in rail, according to the results of a survey published by the Railway Industry Association. A total of 125 companies were asked whether they thought the rail market would contract or grow in the coming year by independent pollsters Savanta, and almost two thirds thought it was likely to contract, as opposed to just under half last year.

An open access application has been submitted again, after the Office of Rail and Road rejected it in July. Alstom’s Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway Company wants track access rights between Wrexham, Shrewsbury, Telford, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Nuneaton and London Euston.