KEY border links between Shropshire and Wales 'require investment' according to a group of councils.

Shropshire Council has joined Midlands Connect to call for a joined-up plan for cross-border transport investment, deemed as 'critical'.

The group has urged the Union Connectivity Review, led by Sir Peter Hendy, to look at the A5, A458 and the A483 corridor, which it says provides a key economic corridor across the border, essential to Oswestry, Shrewsbury and neighbouring towns in Wales such as Welshpool and Newtown.

The group also urge the panel to consider the international connections and access to Holyhead in addition the A41 with its connections to the A55 and the A49 at Whitchurch.

In a letter to Sir Peter Hendy, the group say that transport links on the border have fallen through the cracks.

"These corridors have fallen through cracks in previous investment rounds due to the problems of differing authorities and policies either side of the border," the letter states.

"We must ensure that this doesn't happen again in this area where rurality also hinders the investment programme.

"To overcome this we are working together to highlight the economic significance well connected infrastructure can bring and embrace the opportunity for investment in this region.

"This will only happen if partners across the border commit to working with government to achieve this."

On rail projects, they have called on the Government to look at the line between Cardiff and Chester and the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line via Wolverhampton and Telford.

The Union Connectivity Review is expected to be published by July 2021, and is believed to recommend higher capacity and improved journey times on train travel between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Commenting on the letter, Midlands Connect CEO, Maria Machancoses, said: "We wanted to write Sir Peter after the release of the interim report on the Union Connectivity Review.

"The report is testament to the depth of work that his team has undertaken and what was delivered in such a short timeframe was deeply impressive.

"We wholeheartedly welcome the stress placed on the importance of East-West Connectivity and access to the emerging freeports.

"We hope that we can make the case to include some of these critical schemes into the final report and we look forward to doing that in the days ahead."

Mandy Thorn, chairman of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, said high-quality cross-border transport connectivity was vital for the economy of the whole area.

She said: "The Marches LEP shares more than 100 miles of border with Wales, and it is essential that we have modern, efficient transport links in place which help the economies either side of it to grow and prosper.

"These transport links are the economic arteries of our region and we must ensure that they receive the necessary investment to be able to fulfil that strategic role.

"There is an urgent need to level-up connectivity and ensure that all areas have access to infrastructure which supports and promotes growth."