September 8, 1978

LOCAL councillors plan to keep up the pressure for improvements to the Redditch-Birmingham rail link following top-level sanction for a pilot scheme.

Redditch public services committee full for "full steam ahead" to back up the top level meetings taking place on the long-awaited improvements.

"We should throw our full support behind this scheme. Two years ago I would have thought it impossible for this to be discussed in my lifetime. I just never thought it would happen," said Councillor Walter Stranz.

"It is a winner all the way. Nobody even needs to be asked about it and I would have thought it was the natural thing to do," said Councillor Horace Shakels.

The committee was backing a report drawn up following a meeting of all the parties involved in developing the service between Redditch and Bromsgrove and Birmingham.

If the pilot scheme is a success, renewed pressure will be put on British Rail for a permanent improvement.

The experiment is understood to involve interchangeable tickets to persuade passengers not to revert back to normal travelling habits when the pilot is finished.