Officials from the Department for Transport are set to examine re-opening Mid Cheshire rail lines together with local business leaders, after lobbying from Tatton MP Esther McVey.
A working group will be formed by the Cheshire and Warrington Local EnterprisePartnership and officials from the DfT at the request of Rail Minister Paul Maynard.
Ms McVey said: “Paul has been very supportive and interested in what we have to say regarding the importance of re-opening up local lines. He visited the area and met with the Mid Cheshire Rail Users Group and has met with me various times in London to hear about why the lines are vital.
“He has promised me that a senior official from the Department for Transport among others will sit on the working group so they can learn firsthand why these lines are needed. I have met with the CEO and Chair of Warrington Cheshire Local Enterprise Partnership and I know they have been pushing these lines as strategic vital roots, locally and nationally and this working group will be a perfect opportunity for the DfT to listen and understand how important they are. The area is so congested and will inevitably get worse as new homes are built.”
A working group is a committee formed to investigate a particular situation or problem and usually produces a report containing opinions and suggestions.
Ms McVey has already provided the DfT and Government ministers with material about the Mid Cheshire Rail Link and the Airport Western Link, which sets out in detail why the lines are needed and what benefits they will bring.
She wants the freight line from Northwich to Sandbach, re-opened to passenger trains and construction of two new stations at Gadbrook Park and at Middlewich, which would complete the Crewe- Northwich- Altrincham railway line to link towns and villages directly to the Crewe HS2 station.
In addition the group will look at the importance of the Airport Western Link would provide new and faster connections to the airport from all towns and cities west of the airport. It would also provide a new direct route to Manchester Piccadilly Knutsford, Northwich and Middlewich cutting five miles off the journey and reducing travelling time by 15 minutes.