Mr Boness e-mailed Chiltern: “We appreciate that you want to promote your mainline services, but it seems odd to do so to the possible detriment of services from Stratford, even if they are not as fast or frequent.

“We are obviously keen to promote the use of Stratford station rather than encouraging people to go to Warwick Parkway as a first option: hence this message.”

In reply, John Horsman, liaison manager at Chiltern Railways, apologised for the mixed message and said that the Stratford CV37 postcode would be omitted from similar promotions in the future.

The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group aim to encourage the use of the Birmingham to Stratford railway line, promote further development of the Shakespeare Line as a major transport asset for the Birmingham, Solihull and Warwickshire areas, and promote the proposed extension from Stratford to Long Marston.