Commuters are facing significant travel disruption today after a broken track was discovered between Telford Central and Wolverhampton.

The fault has forced the closure of the line heading towards Wolverhampton, leading to widespread cancellations and delays for thousands of passengers.

National Rail initially estimated that the disruption would be cleared by 9.30 am, but the scale of the repairs required has seen the expected completion time pushed back to 3 pm. In addition to the repairs, a speed restriction remains in place between Shrewsbury and Wellington.

Operators and Routes Hit by Delays

The incident has severely impacted three major train operators. West Midlands Railway services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street are currently facing cancellations or delays of up to 90 minutes.

Avanti West Coast has also seen its long-distance services hampered, including routes connecting Edinburgh and Glasgow Central with Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton. Services from Lancaster, Liverpool Lime Street, and Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston are similarly affected.

Meanwhile, Transport for Wales services between Holyhead, Chester, and Birmingham International are experiencing significant hold-ups.

Ticket Acceptance and Alternative Travel

To keep passengers moving, extensive ticket acceptance agreements have been established. Avanti West Coast customers may use their tickets at no additional cost on Chiltern Railways between Birmingham Moor Street and London Marylebone, or on CrossCountry services between Stafford and Birmingham New Street. Those whose specific trains are cancelled are also permitted to travel on the two services immediately before or after their booked departure.

Transport for Wales has arranged a dedicated bus service to run between Birmingham New Street and Aberystwyth to assist passengers on the Cambrian Line. Furthermore, their tickets are being accepted on the West Midlands Metro between Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street, as well as on Avanti West Coast services between Manchester and Wolverhampton.

West Midlands Railway has confirmed that Stagecoach is operating a rail replacement bus service between Bilbrook and Wolverhampton. Passengers can also use their rail tickets on the Midland Metro between Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill in both directions.

Advice for Commuters

Rail operators are advising all travellers to check the National Rail Enquiries real-time journey planner before starting their trip. Passengers using rail replacement buses are warned that vehicles may be busier than usual and should allow extra time for their commute. Specific pick-up points for these buses are available via station signage or the “Find a Station” page on the National Rail website.

Anyone delayed by the disruption is encouraged to keep their tickets to claim financial compensation through the Delay Repay scheme.