Avanti West Coast: Direct trains from Shropshire to London reinstated

Avanti West Coast announced plans last week to suspend the service

Direct trains between Shropshire and London are running despite plans to suspend the service.

Avanti West Coast announced plans last week to halt trains from Sunday due to "severe staff shortages".

But on Sunday a train ran to the English capital, although the reverse was cancelled.

Services also ran on Monday between Shrewsbury and Euston, calling at Telford and Wellington, Avanti said.

There is supposed to be one service in each direction a day.

Avanti explained it had found the resources to run daily trains.

The suspension plans had been met with criticism prior to the turnaround, with Conservative MP for The Wrekin, Mark Pritchard, calling for the operator to reconsider, citing a "well-used" direct service.

He said Avanti had "in one ill-advised decision, just lost a huge amount of goodwill throughout Shropshire".

Telford and Wrekin Council said last week's announcement came with "no notice, no consultation and no date by which the service will be restored".

Avanti had previously said suspension was due to the majority of drivers making themselves "unavailable for overtime in a co-ordinated fashion" and at short notice.