CAMPAIGN UPDATE, 27th NOVEMBER 2012

CAMPAIGN UPDATE NOVEMBER 2012

(this update also appeared in the MCRUA Newsletter and on MCRUA's Chairman's Blog)

The Middlewich Rail Link Campaign is continuing its efforts to promote the re-opening of the Sandbach-Middlewich-Northwich line to regular passenger trains, along with the building of a new station in Middlewich.

Congleton MP Fiona Bruce is preparing to present the campaign’s petition in Parliament.

Sterling work by campaign members saw to it that close on 2000 signatures were obtained as people in Middlewich and surrounding areas showed their support for an idea which will go some way towards sorting out the town’s horrendous traffic problems and also mean that this Cheshire town, which is often cited as a ‘typical commuter town’ gets a much-needed facility to allow the large number of townspeople who work in Manchester to get to work without having to use their cars.

An added bonus, of course, to re-opening the Middlewich line would be improved access to Crewe for everyone using the Mid Cheshire line.

I’d like to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to Councillors Parsons, Edwards and Hirst for all their hard work on the petition, and to Harry Boardman for his continuing efforts on the campaign’s behalf.

The Middlewich line proved its worth yet again during the flooding which affected much of the country this Autumn, with diverted Virgin trains using the line after flooding put the Crewe-Chester line out of action at Christleton.

The question many are asking is this: where would these diverted trains go if the Middlewich line was not there?

Dave Roberts
Chairman,
MRLC