PETITION HANDOVER SEPTEMBER 22nd 2012

The official handover of MRLC's petition calling for a passenger train service and a new station for Middlewich took place on Saturday September 22nd in the Bull Ring, Middlewich.
Middlewich's MP Fiona Bruce is seen accepting the petition from Cllr Mike Parsons.
Also in the photograph are (left to right): Cllr Paul Edwards, Cllr Sonya Edwards, Town Mayor Cllr Simon McGrory, Cllr Keith Bagnall Cllr Andrew Malloy (Knutsford) and Deputy Town Mayor, Cllr Bernice Walmsley.
The fact that Sonya and Bernice are 'in uniform' is explained by the fact that the handover took place during Middlewich's second Wartime Weekend, as can be seen from the banner in the background.
The petition will enable Fiona to raise the matter of the Middlewich line in Parliament, and MRLC would like to record its appreciation of all the hard work put in by everyone who helped obtain the signatures, and in particular to Cllr Peter Hirst.

SEE ALSO: OFFICIAL HANDOVER OF THE MRLC PETITION (ARCHIVED)

OFFICIAL HAND OVER OF THE MRLC PETITION TO FIONA BRUCE MP (ARCHIVED)

(ARCHIVED 25/09/2012)

Councillor Mike Parsons writes:


Hello all,

Just to let you know that the Petition we raised to reopen the Middlewich branch line to passenger traffic and provide a station at Middlewich is now complete. We have raised the target of 2,000 signatures (bar a few!!) and it is my pleasure to invite you all to the official handover next Saturday (22nd. Sep.), at 10.30 am. in the Bull Ring.

Fiona Bruce MP has kindly offered to come along and formally receive the Petition in front of the press and I would like to see as many of the local traders and residents who have been involved with this present for the photograph. If you could, therefore, please pass this message on to anyone you know who  has helped to promote the campaign (it is impossible for me to know who they all are), I would be most grateful, as I would hate anyone to be left out.

So come along and bring as many with you as you can.  We need a real good show of unity and strength for Fiona to take to Westminster and me to take to the meetings I have managed to get organised with Cheshire East Officers. We've won the fight to beat off the Incinerator; now let's go out and win the fight for our station!

See you Saturday.

Mike   

SEE ALSO: PETITION HANDOVER 22nd SEPTEMBER (PHOTO)

NEWS OF THE MRLC PETITION and FUNDING POSSIBILITIES

Our picture shows the 'Limestone Cowboy' special train on the Middlewich Branch line, passing the site of the original Middlewich Station on August 25th 2011. Photo: Vernon Perkins/Middlewich Rail Link Campaign

by Robin Lord 
At a meeting of the Middlewich Rail Link Campaign on Tuesday 31st July Councillor Mike Parsons announced
that we have now collected over 1600 signatures for the petition asking that the Northwich to
Sandbach line be re-opened along with a station in Middlewich.
Fiona Bruce MP for Congleton said “ that would be enough signatures to present the petition to
Parliament, but  as Parliament is now in recess it would do no harm to collect more signatures in
the period before Parliament returns in September.
“I have been in touch with Michael Jones Leader of the Cheshire East council and told him that the
station in Middlewich is my priority for the area. Mike has been with me on a visit to Middlewich”
A big thank you from Councillor Peter Hirst is due to the retailers in Wheelock St who between
them have collected about two thirds of the total so far collected. Mike Parsons Cheshire East
Councillor for Middlewich Ward said “We will invite the Wheelock St. retailers to come and meet
Fiona Bruce when we present her with the petition.”
Mike also said “Cheshire East Council has been granted £3.5M by the government from the Local
Sustainable Transport Fund and I have written to Rod Menlove and Jamie Macrae, Cheshire East
cabinet members, to request a meeting to discuss using some of that money for the Middlewich Rail
Link.”
Harry Boardman a member of the committee added “There is also £100M allocated by government
to station improvements and a further £100M for 'transport for all' in the plans for 2014/19 and we
will try to get a share of that money as neither Sandbach nor Northwich have facilities for the
disabled, Amazingly it is not yet compulsory to provide such access to stations”.
“There are substantial benefits to the region as a whole from opening this line, it would make it
much easier for Knutsford residents to get to Crewe thereby taking a load off Manchester Picadilly
and it would provide cross county connectivity unseen by Cheshire for more than half a century.”
There is plenty of time left for Middlewich residents or others with an interest to sign the petition,
forms are availble in the library, the council offices and many of the shops in Wheelock St. the more
we get the sooner we are likely to succeed".