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.”
Don’t recall this Council supporting Liverpool when that City was left off the direct HS2 network. Liverpool’s service was going to run to Lichfield then branch off onto “classic tracks”, and trundle into Liverpool Lime St which would have minimum work done to ready it for 200m HS2 trains.
By Anonymous
Are both schemes doomed to fail without the vital support of Cheshire East Council? And what does the line between Liverpool and Manchester have to do with them in any case?
By Anonymous
A railway avoiding major towns on its route. Sound like a recipe for success. Must be a plan suggested by management consultants.
By Anonymous
There’s more to Cheshire East, than Crewe that is why the north of the district would like it’s own council.
By Philip McGaskill
@Anonymous 1:11, when you say ‘Liverpool was left off the direct HS2 service’ did you mean to say “Liverpool would have HS2 service from day 1” ?
By Anonymous
Hopefully Crewe can become the city it has always wanted to be. Hope they like lots of houses and traffic.
By Hahahaha
Extending the HS2 route from north of Lichfield to Crewe at a design speed of say 150mph would provide a major improvement and bypass the junctions, narrow tunnel and tight curve near Stafford. This would benefit the North West , North Wales and West Scotland
If only half of the inter-city trains stopped at Crewe, this would be a major benefit to the local area. The immediate objective should be to protect the route.
By Mike Hodgkinson
Ha ha ha you have got to kidding! They mess up everything they touch!
By Anonymous
Cheshire East should be renamed Borough of Greater Crewe, as far as the council is concerned the rest of the borough doesn’t exist.
By Bobcat90
The council needs to focus on attracting major employers to the empty offices within ten minutes walk of Crewe Station, then the station will be busy and create well paid jobs. Manchester Met University closed its’ Crewe facility, then a healthcare company rented some of the offices and now it is a compound for new cars. Surely the council should be working to attract new companies to that empty campus! The region has Astra Zeneca, but does not appear to be seeking to attract any other big pharmaceutical companies to the North. Post-Covid these firms are being paid for just-in-time deliveries, spending lots on research and development and creating lots of well-paid jobs.
By Andrew Williams
It would have been better to have created three unitaries – Cheshire South, Cheshire East, and CWAC.
By Rye
Cheshire East should be focusing their energies on pushing for an upgrade of the Crewe – Northwich line for passenger traffic and reconnecting Middlewich to the network
By Anonymous
@anon 2:03pm the Liv-Manc proposed route would pass through Cheshire East near High Legh and Ashley.
By Swampy
Why don’t we have a proper market near the new car parking in the town centre. The spare ground nearby would be a perfect place for all kinds of goods and bring in much needed trade for Crewe with vendors coming in from all around.
By Anonymous
Cheshire East IS at the heart of Northern Powerhouse Rail and DIRECTLY served by its Manchester Airport station literally on its border. Where is Cheshire East’s vision for NPR and to connect it to tram (two metrolink lines), train (Mid Cheshire and Airport lines), road etc and unlock growth where there is huge market demand? This is the growth that is needed fund the council’s plans e.g. Crewe…
By Listen to the market...