WORCESTER MP Robin Walker says the city “must go out all guns blazing” in a bid to get a better deal for public transport from the Government.

He has also labelled the notion of a Worcestershire parkway rail service at Norton “a no brainer” and believes the city is suffering from poor journey times, especially to Birmingham.

Last week the Government announced £9 billion worth of rail improvements across the country, but not services directly serving the Faithful City.

Mr Walker said Worcester needs to argue “for a better deal” in the next national funding round of public transport investment - starting with a parkway service.

He said: “I’ve spoken to the transport minister to make this very point, there’s been some big improvements across the country and in the West Midlands, but we’re that big white space on the map which hash’t got as much benefit from it.

“We need to go out all guns blazing so we can get a better deal for Worcestershire in the next funding round.

“When it comes to hopes for a parkway rail service at Norton, that really is a no brainer, everyone in the county supports it.

“I don’t think the Government will suddenly turn around after this and say ‘here’s the money for it’, but we’ve got to keep going and work with train operating companies so it becomes a priority.”

He also told your Worcester News the city deserves better connections to Birmingham, to encourage more investment from the Second City.

“We need a better hub and spoke link to Birmingham, at the moment the fastest you can get there is 40 minutes, which to me is crazy,” he said.

“That is also something we must be looking to improve.”

The package, the biggest national investment in the railways since the Victorian era, includes electrifying routes from Yorkshire into the West Midlands and the south coast.

Upgrades to the Midland Main Line, helping commuters in areas like Oxford, Reading and London, are also on the way.

The Treasury is also planning a new £50 billion loan or guarantee scheme to help get more power station, rail and infrastructure projects off the ground.