Business leaders from Staffordshire and Cheshire are calling on the government to commit to urgent investment in road and rail infrastructure across the region.
In a joint letter to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, the chief executives of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and South & North Cheshire Chamber of Commerce outlined a number of transport challenges holding back economic growth – and set out key priorities to unlock the area’s potential.
Rachel Laver, CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Paul Colman, CEO of South & North Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Mike Herbert, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce transport forum chair, described the A50/A500 corridor as a ‘vital east-west artery’ serving major employers including Bentley, JCB and Toyota, as well as commuters and visitors to Alton Towers.
But they warned that ‘extreme’ congestion, especially on approaches to junctions 15 and 16 of the M6, the urban stretch through North Staffordshire and also at Uttoxeter, was limiting economic opportunity.
The letter stated: “We call for investment and a corridor-wide approach to unleash the true potential of the ‘North Midlands Manufacturing Corridor’. Funding to implement a detailed business case for improving the corridor has been estimated to be in the region of £3 million.”
The Chambers said such investment could pave the way for 39,000 new jobs and 67,000 new homes by 2045, as well as 1.6 per cent annual economic growth – potentially doubling the corridor’s economy by 2070. They also urged the government to provide clarity on dualling the A500 between Meremoss and junction 16, a scheme left in limbo since the cancellation of HS2 Phase 2A in 2023.
On rail, the Chambers called for a commitment to maintaining at least two fast trains per hour on weekdays between Manchester, Stoke and London, and pressed for ‘long-overdue’ improvements to the Crewe-Stoke-Derby line, which they say could relieve pressure on local roads and support freight movement.
They said: “This would include the upgrade of a single-track stretch between Barthomley and Crewe and upgrades to signalling in rural stretches of the line. We hope that some of the additional services using the line could feed into an extension to/from Manchester Airport.”
The letter also raised concerns about recent speculative proposals for a new high-speed rail connection linking Handsacre to High Legh, near Warrington.
It said: “The proposal suggests a line carving through Staffordshire and Cheshire but without any stations marked in either county, which makes the case for this difficult to sustain locally. We would welcome a commitment from government that a connection through Crewe would be confirmed, if investment is provided.”
The Chambers invited Ms Alexander to visit the area to meet businesses and see the transport challenges first-hand.
