A council leader has made a plea for Staffordshire’s voice to be heard on proposals to create an interregional rail link following the cancellation of the second leg of HS2.
Commissioned by the mayors of the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, a private sector consortium report states that the government should consider the creation of a new 80km rail line between the two regions.
The plans along the permitted route of the now cancelled HS2 phase 2a would see the new line – known as the Midlands North West Rail Link – cut through 40 miles of Staffordshire countryside between Handsacre near Lichfield and Crewe.
Daily Focus recently reported that Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce was seeking clarification on how the proposal will benefit the county.
Now Staffordshire County Council Leader Alan White has written an open letter to metro mayors Andy Burnham and Richard Parker saying it is imperative that Staffordshire has its say on any proposals going forward.
The letter reads: “This route cuts through 40 miles of Staffordshire countryside, causing significant disruption to our residents, so it is disappointing and somewhat surprising that no attempt has been made to discuss any part of the latest proposals with the county council.
“As a council, we did not support HS2, but nonetheless delivered our statutory role in a pragmatic, professional and timely manner, in the interest of minimising disruption to affected residents and maximising the economic benefit for the county.
“This was only possible through extensive communication between ourselves, HS2 Ltd and their contractors. I offer the same opportunity for meaningful consultation and engagement to you and the ARUP consortium.
“Like you, I want to see growth, new jobs and opportunities for people across the Midlands and beyond, but this is not just about city regions, it includes Staffordshire and the 867,000 people who live here.”
Alan adds: “The current plans for the new rail link bring obvious disruption and continued uncertainty for many in our county, with no clear benefits, essentially throwing Staffordshire under a train.
“I ask that you urgently share the business case for growth, including any correspondence with the consortium around these plans with us and I look forward to an ongoing dialogue on the proposals.”
Both mayors have previously said the proposal is an effective solution to a growing transport problem.
They have said additional rail capacity to and from the North is vital for the West Midlands and that, without a plan, the already-congested West Coast Main Line and M6 will become major barriers to economic growth in the UK.
