A NEW public consultation on the design of the HS2 Western Leg does not appear to include the controversial Golborne Link, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
Andrew Needham, chairman of Cheshire CPRE, says they will be responding to the consultation and will be raising the issue of the Golborne Link – the section which impacts on the Warrington area – even though it does appear to be covered by the consultation.
But he warns that the consultation does not appear to include proposed changes to deal with sections dealing with the Lymm and Culcheth areas including:
• realigning Warrington Lane alongside the Bridgewater Canal to allow for viaduct piers;
• relocating Wet Gate Lane Auto Transformer Station to the north of Moss Brow Farm, Warburton;
• reducing the height of the Lymm embankment;
• improving the junction at A6144 Bent Lane, Paddock Lane and the realigned A6144 Paddock Lane;
• improving the junction at the realigned Paddock Lane and Warburton Lane.
The consultation, which closes at 11:45pm on December 11, is seeking views on four proposed refinements to the design of the Western Leg of HS2 Phase 2b. The proposed refinements are:
• the addition of Crewe Northern Connection and changes to the design of Crewe North Rolling Stock Depot;
• changes to the design of Manchester Airport High-Speed station;
• changes to the design around Manchester Piccadilly High-Speed station; and
• the introduction of a new train stabling facility at Annandale, in Dumfries and Galloway.
This includes proposals to boost capacity in Manchester by doubling the number of platforms at the Airport station from two to four and increasing the number at Piccadilly from four to six. In addition, an extra northern service from Crewe could see 5-7 HS2 trains per hour calling at the station, facilitating connections to NPR and bringing the vision of a Crewe Hub a step closer.
Cllr Val Allen, a member of Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council and Croft Parish Council, is encouraging people in Warrington to engage with the public consultation.
She said: “I’ve been opposing the Golborne Spur for more than six years, working closely with the community and CADRAG (Culcheth and District Rail Action Group.
“What we need now is not petitions but real action. I would encourage everyone in the town, whether they are impacted by the Golborne Spur or not, to participate in the consultation.
“The community in Croft and Culcheth would be cut off and devastated by the Golborne Spur, if it was to go ahead.”
Lymm Councillor Cllr Kath Buckley added: “The HS2 plans have changed but those changes don’t go far enough. We need Golborne Spur to be cancelled altogether.”
