Cheshire East Council says U-turn on HS2 is ‘levelling down’

The council is now urging the government to provide assurance that Cheshire East will be provided with sufficient funding from the £36bn saving to enable new transport projects and equivalent economic growth.

Council leader Sam Corcoran (Lab) said: “Today’s announcement from government is extremely worrying and disappointing and has significant and far-reaching impacts on the council’s plans, our communities and businesses, and the North as a whole.

Cllr Sam Corcoran (Image: Cheshire East Council)“The council has long supported the principle of HS2 and its core objectives to connect the largest economic regions across the UK, and we have already invested and committed significant funds and resource through our efforts to maximise the benefits and opportunities of HS2 to Crewe and Manchester.

“Investment in the full HS2 western leg to Crewe and Manchester would improve places and prosperity across the region and be the vital economic backbone to unlock growth, regeneration, and new jobs – delivering opportunities and benefits for generations to come.

“Phase 2a and 2b are also critical to delivering levelling up to places like Crewe – where half of the council wards are in the top 10 per cent most deprived in the country.

“But today’s U-turn from government will result in levelling down, not up, and is a devastating blow to Crewe, Cheshire East, and the wider region.”

He added: “We of course need time to understand the full scale of the impact of government’s announcement. But the council has already committed £11.2m to long-term plans based around five to seven high-speed trains per hour stopping in Crewe, knowing that the eventual economic benefits would have been far greater, and local regeneration plans are already under construction.

“In Crewe alone, HS2 would unlock nearly 5,000 new jobs, 4,500 new homes and boost the local economy by £750m.

“This was a once in a lifetime opportunity which has now been pulled from underneath us.”

The council leader said Cheshire East will be working with others across the North to make the case to government to reconsider its decision.

Cllr Craig Browne (Image: Cheshire East Council)Deputy Cheshire East leader Craig Browne (Ind) said: “HS2 is not about speed or a fast train to London, it is about freeing up capacity across our congested northern rail network so that we can get the regular, reliable services upon which our businesses, commuters and visitors expect and deserve.

“It is important for an integrated sustainable transport strategy for Cheshire East and the sub region.

“It is also about economic growth and levelling up, with HS2 estimated to boost the economy of Cheshire and Warrington by £2bn per annum alone – a hugely significant sum.

“That is why for more than a decade, the council has worked collaboratively and constructively with Government on its plans for HS2 north of Birmingham and has developed the Crewe Hub vision – based on the HS2 promises government has made to Crewe and Cheshire East.

“This includes recent commitments to identify and undertake design work on the interventions needed at Crewe Station, with the Department for Transport funding a study on urgent infrastructure requirements, which took place just a few weeks ago.

“As a result of today’s announcement, our ambitious plans for growth will no longer be viable and it is a fresh burden on already extremely stretched council resources.”

Cllr Janet Clowes (Image: Cheshire East Council)Conservative group leader Janet Clowes told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I’m deeply disappointed that HS2 to Manchester has been cancelled this morning. This has major implications for the regeneration of Crewe and, not least I have spent the last seven/eight years working with HS2 Ltd, with government officials, with local residents, to ensure as much mitigation in terms of impacts of the line through our region but also the benefits to the wider area of Cheshire East could be best realised.”

She added: “Today’s announcement is disappointing but I do understand governments have to take difficult decisions and the costs of HS2 were spiralling out of control and that is something that the national situation has to be cognisant of.”