Re-opening the Mid Cheshire Rail line is vital to ambitious proposals for house building and increased business in the area, an MP has told Treasury ministers.

Tatton MP Esther McVey urged Chancellor Philip Hammond to look at the vital rail line as he prepares to deliver his Budget to Parliament next month.

Ms McVey said: The local Cheshire and Warrington LEP has a bold agenda for increasing business in Tatton and Cheshire and the local plan has an equally bold agenda for increasing the number of houses which will bring money to the Exchequer and also houses for the country’s need in housing. But what we need is significant infrastructure and the Mid Cheshire rail line so could I ask the team and the Chancellor to look at this for the forthcoming budget.

Treasury Minister Andrew Jones said: “I will take that as a Budget representation. We are very clearly very ambitious to unlock through transport investment both residential and commercial opportunity, it has been one of the features of Government policies over the past few years and I am sure that will continue.”  

Last week Government announced a road investment of £65 million in Cheshire of which £47 million was for the Middlewich bypass and £18 million for five different road schemes. 

Mr Jones said Government was taking big decisions for Britain’s future and investing in transport infrastructure including improvements to the M6, M62 and M56.

Ms McVey added: “I am delighted money is being given to improving infrastructure in Cheshire but we desperately need these lines re-opened and I will keep raising the issue with Government until I am heard.”