Cheshire East calls for Crewe to be ‘at heart’ of emerging rail plans

The council will only support plans for a new Liverpool to Manchester line and an alternative Midlands – North West rail link if they benefit the town, which was negatively impacted by the cancellation of HS2 north of Birmingham.

Cheshire East Council will meet next week to discuss how the two emerging rail plans, which would pass through the borough, could benefit Crewe.

As it stands, the council says that neither plan would provide “direct connectivity benefits” to Crewe in the way HS2 would have, something that the council’s leader says would place a “burden” on the borough without offering mitigating benefits.

Cllr Nick Mannion, Leader of Cheshire East Council said there is a clear need for improved connectivity to and around the North and that Crewe station should be “at the heart of these plans”.

“It is critical for Cheshire East that we see investment made at Crewe station and that new services do not just pass through the town but connect and stop there,” he said.

“Without this, we are unlikely to see the investment, connectivity and regeneration opportunities for Crewe and the wider borough that HS2 would have unlocked, but we’d still be expected to take on the burden of the negative impacts of these schemes, such as on the environment.”

Mannion added: “While these schemes are still in the early stages, it’s important that as a council, we have an agreed and clear position from the beginning so that we’re best placed to work with partners and seek the investment, opportunities and mitigations needed for the borough.”

A report to be discussed by Cheshire East next week recommends that the council should “provisionally support” the Liverpool to Manchester Railway scheme as long as a number of conditions are met, including investment at Crewe station.

This scheme, as it is currently proposed, does not include any direct connectivity benefit for Cheshire East or any of its railway stations, the council said.

In addition, councillors are recommended to lend support to the Midlands – North West Rail Link – proposed by the Metro Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands – if Crewe is given a starring role as part of the solution.

The line – to be at least part funded by the private sector under the fledgling plan – would link Birmingham to High Legh, passing through Crewe. It could feature a tunnel that could effectively allow new services to bypass the station, the council said.

Cllr Michael Gorman, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council and chair of its economy and growth committee, said: “We want to see the North prosper, and improved connectivity and capacity on our rail network can deliver transformational benefits, including new jobs, homes and regeneration.

“However, the cancellation of HS2 north of Birmingham has significantly impacted Cheshire East, particularly Crewe, and the council had invested substantial money into supporting the scheme and the Crewe Hub programme.”

When the Northern leg of HS2 was cancelled by the previous government last year, Cheshire East demanded repayment of the £11.2m it had invested in the project from the government.

The council described the impact of the cancellation on Crewe as “direct and devastating impact”.

Gorman added: “It is crucial that these efforts are not overlooked in future rail plans and that Crewe station receives the type of investment that can match up to its credentials as one of the most important interchanges on the UK rail network.”