GOOD transport links promote business and jobs.

Evesham's train services are worse than a generation ago. No direct trains to Birmingham, infrequent, slow trains to Oxford despite millions of taxpayers' money spent on the Cotswold line.

Evesham and surrounds are at an economic disadvantage.

The Catch 22 is that the service has to exist to create demand, but for train operators, demand must exist first. Our rail system puts operators' needs before our economic needs.

We are an example of the need for infrastructure investment to pump-prime business and jobs. Businesses know to borrow when they can invest for future prosperity, governments should too. The current government seems not to, its dogma of austerity gets in the way.

So, please can we put pressure on politicians to do some badly needed pump-priming here?

Let's have direct trains to Birmingham – the track exists.

Let's have the more frequent Cotswold line service that was promised.

Commercial train operators would be fine if they had to compete with each other for custom.

Let's have intervention and investment for the benefit of local businesses, jobs and society, or the train operators will gradually run out of customers too.

Alan Hughes

Pershore