Halton seeks progress on reopening Ditton station

Closed in 1994, the railway facility is among a suite of pipeline transport projects for which sign-off will be requested next week.

Halton Council’s executive meets on 16 April and will be asked to note the progress of a series of transport schemes in delivery, and approve the progression of a number of pipeline projects.

This covers design and feasibility work, business case preparation, funding bids, and when appropriate, grant acceptance and entry into the council’s capital programme.

Like others in the pipeline, Ditton station in Widnes is at this stage uncosted, but unlike some other station projects brought forward across the region in recent years, is not a blank slate – the platforms remain in place from pre-closure.

To the south of Speke Road, and accessed from Hale Road, Ditton station is close to some crucial strategic areas that have advanced in Halton in recent years, notably the 3MG logistics hub, and development areas such as Foundry Lane.

This will not happen quickly. In and of itself, Ditton station is the last item to be mentioned in what is a long list of transport and infrastructure projects. The report simply notes that “the reopening of Ditton Station remains an ambition to support the planning growth and regeneration in the local area”.

Ditton station is also mentioned in a “green growth” project, which would have £3m of development funding attached. This is the Halebank accessibilioty programme, which would look at options to improve traffic movements to support inclusive growth through improved access to job opportunities, as well as helping to sustain existing residential and business communities.

According to the report, “options must complement the Halton Curve and potential reopening of Ditton station to improve connectivity in the 3MG/Ditton/wider Speke Approaches growth corridor”.

There are other station projects ahead in the queue. The hoped-for Daresbury station was among the projects across the city region with cash earmarked from a £1.6bn TCR settlement announced last year, while a new building for Runcorn station and accessibility improvements at Hough Green are also lined up.

Projects are being lined up to fit into Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Local Transport Plan 4, which is expected to be implemented this year, and will supersede Halton’s current working plan, LTP3.

LTP4 will cover strategic transport priorities such as Northern Powerhouse Rail, and the Liverpool to Manchester rail line upgrade. The primary funding source for transport interventions is now ‘Transport for City Regions’ funding, replacing City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements.

As of this month, LCR CA will receive an integrated settlement from government, including £417m in revenue and £1.1bn in capital funding over three to four years, enabling combined decision-making across transport, regeneration, and skills.

Halton’s current projects, should all funding bids be successful, could have £130m allocated up to 2031.