Call for urgent reviews into electrification of North Wales Coast Main railway line

The leader of Flintshire council, Ian Roberts is amongst a group of business and local authority leaders calling on the UK Government calling for urgent reviews of the North Wales Coast Main Railway Line electrification.

Growth Track 360 and Transport for the North recently held a well-attended briefing meeting for Members of Parliament from North Wales, West Cheshire and the Wirral in the House of Commons.

The meeting gave strong support for the priorities of Growth Track 360.

These include increasing the capacity and speed of the North Wales Coast Mainline, transforming the Wrexham to Bidston (Borderlands) Line into a Liverpool Service, and implementing upgrades to Chester Station to enhance the flow of train services.

Parliament members are urging Growth Track 360 to press for the electrification of the North Wales Coast Main Line and acquire estimated capital costs for these priorities.

There is also a call to challenge the Department of Transport’s investment appraisal process, which has been perceived as failing Wales and the North of England.

Growth Track 360 Chair and Leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council, Councillor Louise Gittins, expressed her delight at the cross-party consensus in favour of rail investment.

However, she lamented that the Department for Transport’s appraisal system, which favours London and the South East, obstructs the timely allocation of capital funds.

Emphasising the group’s commitment to electrification, Cllr Gittins highlighted the environmental benefits.

“Electrification will enable faster and more efficient trains while reducing carbon emissions.

It is time to move on from old-fashioned diesel fleets,” she said.

Really positive meeting chaired by @weezegee in @UKParliament with cross-border and cross-party MPs and Peers backing our rail transformation agenda with presentations by @Patrick4Dales and @MartinTugwell from @Transport4North and @transport_wales colleagues pic.twitter.com/7HjadORVjQ

— Growth Track 360 (@360_track) May 11, 2023

Cllr Gittins and Growth Track 360 Vice Chair, Flintshire Council Leader Cllr Ian Roberts, have written to Transport Minister, Huw Merriman MP, seeking funds for Transport for Wales and Network Rail to conduct a feasibility study on electrifying the North Wales Coast Main Line.

Echoing Cllr Gittins’ sentiment, Cllr Roberts acknowledged the current barriers to accessing funding, including a lack of capital and an appraisal process favouring the South East.

He said: “I welcome the support of Members of Parliament for electrification of the North Wales Coast Main Line.

I am disappointed that capital funds have not yet been allocated to deliver Growth Track 360 priorities. There are two barriers to accessing funding:

1. An overall shortage of funds, with too many projects chasing too few funds
2. A flawed investment appraisal process that directs most of what is available to London and the South East

To make more money available for investment in the Wales and Borders geography, I support the Welsh Government’s call for Barnett Consequentials for Wales from the HS2 project. This is the most efficient and direct way to obtain funding for electrifying the North Wales Coast Mainline and delivering the North Wales and Chester priorities.

The investment appraisal process must also be reviewed with the English Regions and Devolved Administrations invited to give evidence on how the process can be made fairer. Fairer distribution of capital to Wales and the North of England aligns with the Government’s policy priorities of Levelling Up and Union Connectivity.”

Ashley Rogers, GT360 Business Representative and Chief Executive of the North Wales Mersey Dee Business Council, expressed hope that the Government will respond positively to the Union Connectivity Review and allocate necessary capital funds.

Rogers emphasised the importance of urgent action on climate change and that better public transport would provide a low-carbon travel option.

[Photo: TfW]