WARRINGTON’s bid for cash for a proposed new railway station has been thrown out by transportation chiefs.
But senior councillors say the bid hasn’t yet run out of steam and the borough council will fight on to secure funding for the Warrington West station on the Liverpool-Manchester line between Warrington Central and Sankey stations.
Cllr Linda Dirir (pictured), the council’s executive member for highways and transportation, said: “There were 14 bids in this round, and like nine other bidders we didn’t make the selection this time round.
“But Network Rail and the Department for Transport haven’t closed the door completely. Network Rail has said it will support Warrington Borough Council in the further development of the station, and the council intends to submit a further bid for funding.”
The council hopes for cash from both Network Rail and the Cheshire and Warrington Local Transport Body.
Cllr Dirir said: “We’re in with a better chance next time, partly because we can strengthen our bid and partly because we hope the rest of the match-funding will be confirmed soon.
“So we’re hopeful of success with our next bid, and if so we can expect to see Warrington West open by 2017. The new station will be vital because West Warrington has experienced significant regeneration and economic growth, and will continue to do so.
“Warrington’s doing really well as a place to live, work and invest, but we need to keep up the momentum. The proposed station at Warrington West would ensure that residents and businesses are able to use a purpose built, high quality rail station to travel to and from West Warrington sustainably. And this would be another good reason for companies to invest in Warrington.”
Warrington Borough Council is also set to embark on a major consultation regarding the proposed station – originally to have been known as Chapelford.
The station would play a similar role for West Warrington to that of Birchwood Station on the eastern side of the borough.
Birchwood opened in the early 1980s.
Cash setback for new station bid
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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Even by road Warrington Central and Sankey railway stations are only 2.7 miles apart, along the track the distance will be considerably less. What on earth is the point of adding another station between these two? The trains will no sooner have left one than they have to slow down again for the next! That’s going to add a significant chunk onto journey times, and cause unnecessary pollution from all the extra slowing down and speeding up!