Local authority leaders from North Wales and the North West have renewed their call for investment in their existing rail network after news of a two-year delay with HS2.

In response to the announcement from UK Secretary of State for Transport of a two-year delay to completion of construction work on HS2 between Birmingham and Crewe, business and local authority leaders from North Wales, the Wirral and Cheshire West and Chester in the Growth Track 360 partnership have renewed their call for investment in the existing network to allow their cross-border region to take full advantage of the new railway.

To this end, Growth Track 360 is campaigning for:

1.    Complete modernisation of Chester station as the gateway for tourism and commerce to Cheshire and North Wales; and
 
2.    Electrification of the North Wales Main Line from Holyhead to Crewe and Warrington, allowing HS2 trains to run directly from London and Birmingham to Chester and beyond.

Growth Track 360 Chair and Leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council, Councillor Louise Gittins, said:
“HS2 is a vital component in our cross-border and all-party vision for connectivity in the twenty-first century, yet its potential contribution to decarbonised travel to and from Chester and North Wales continues to be underestimated, even by many of its most enthusiastic proponents. Growth Track 360 wants the North Wales Main Line electrified so that we can see faster, cleaner and more frequent passenger and freight trains in the medium term and be HS2-ready when the line reaches Crewe.”