Posted on Monday 14th October 2024
Alan White
Staffordshire should have its say on proposals to create an interregional rail link following the cancellation of the second leg of HS2, the county council leader has said.
Commissioned by the mayors of the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, a private sector consortium report states that the government should consider the creation of a new 80km rail line between the two regions.
The plans along the permitted route of the now cancelled HS2 phase 2a would see the new line cut through forty miles of Staffordshire countryside between Handsacre near Lichfield and Crewe.
In an open letter to the two metro mayors, county council leader Alan White has said today that it is imperative that Staffordshire has its say on any proposals going forward.
Alan White said:
We find it disappointing and somewhat surprising that no attempt has been made to discuss any part of the latest proposals with the county council.
We did not support HS2, but nonetheless delivered our statutory role in a pragmatic, professional and timely manner, in the interest of minimising disruption to affected residents and maximising the economic benefit for the county.
This was only possible through extensive communication between ourselves, HS2 Ltd and contractors and we offer the same opportunity for meaningful consultation and engagement on these new proposals.
The current plans for the new rail link bring obvious disruption and continued uncertainty for many in our county, with no clear benefits - essentially throwing Staffordshire under a train.
Like our neighbouring mayors, we want to see growth, new jobs and opportunities for people across the Midlands and beyond – but this is not just about city regions, it includes Staffordshire and the 867,000 people who live here.”
The leader of the council goes on to ask for details of the business case for growth and an ongoing dialogue on the proposals.
The consortium is led by civil engineering consultant ARUP.
You can read the full letter here.