In Prime Minister’s Questions, Warrington South MP Andy Carter asked Rishi Sunak to confirm that Warrington would benefit from the £12billion worth of funding for East-West high speed rail lines between Manchester and Liverpool.
The MP has repeatedly pushed for a hub station at Warrington Bank Quay linking Northern Powerhouse Rail to the West Coast Main Line. His question came as the Government has reallocated funding for the cancelled stages of HS2 to other transport projects as part of Network North.
Responding, the Prime Minister said:
I thank [Andy Carter] for his continued campaign to improve rail services in Warrington. He is right: we will be investing £12billion to better connect Manchester and Liverpool.
That would allow for the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail, exactly as previously planned, including high-speed lines, which would provide better rail connections for the people living in northern towns such as Warrington. I know that he will be discussing this further when he meets the Rail Minister.
Following a subsequent meeting with the Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP, the Minister agreed to visit Warrington to meet with local politicians and rail managers to discuss the future of rail investment in the town.
Andy Carter MP said:
I’m pleased with the comments from the Prime Minister. Faster links between Warrington to Manchester and Warrington to Liverpool are really important, not just because of the prospect of travel times being reduced and more capacity into the great cities surrounding us and to Warrington itself.
The opportunity for a hub station at Warrington Bank Quay linking the West Coast Mainline and Northern Powerhouse Rail will unlock huge business growth opportunities in the town centre, on former industrial land surrounding the station and elsewhere in the immediate vicinity.
Towns which benefit from significant rail investment see more, higher paying jobs over the long term. I know Ministers are keen to engage with local Leaders and I look forward to welcoming the Rail Minister to Warrington South very soon.
