Friday 28 March 2014

CAMPAIGN UPDATE MARCH 2014




MIDDLEWICH RAIL LINK CAMPAIGN
CAMPAIGN UPDATE

The latest meeting of the Middlewich Rail Link Campaign took place on Tuesday 25th March at the Boar's Head in  Middlewich.

Discussion largely centered on Cheshire East Council's Local Plan Strategy. The importance of representations on this from the Campaign and also from members of the public was stressed.
MRLC will be making representations in writing on this matter to Cheshire East before the deadline of 25th April

Chapter 14 of the document concerns Sustainable Transport and talks about rail infrastructure schemes in Cheshire East.

Although the Middlewich Rail Link scheme is included in this section and the document talks about 'supporting the aspiration for re-opening the Sandbach to Northwich railway line...(and)...opening a station at Middlewich', we feel that the wording is far too vague.
Our campaign has been running for over twenty years, and the case for re-opening has been more than proved. We feel that the wording should be changed to reflect this and should read:

'Taking action to bring about the re-opening of the Sandbach to Northwich railway line to passengers, including the opening of a station in Middlewich, by direct talks with Network Rail and all other interested parties.'

Another section of the Local Plan Strategy document covers STRATEGIC LOCATION SL9 which includes the Brooks Lane area and the station site.

In the section headed

Site Specific Principles of Development

we are requesting that the document should include the following wording:

'Safeguarding the site for the new railway station in Middlewich, fully taking into account the exact siting of the platform and associated access. Car parking for the station should also be taken into account and provision made for it.'

and the map accompanying this section should also be amended to show the railway station, its exact location and dimensions

In order to facilitate these changes to the local plan document, the Council can make reference to the Railway Consultancy report (available via the MRLC website) and also liaise with Network Rail.

In general, MRLC feels that the time for 'ifs, buts and maybes' has long since passed and that we should proceed on the assumption that the re-opening will go ahead, however long it may take.

Cllr Mike Parsons has been doing sterling work in keeping the issue alive with the relevant people at Cheshire East, pointing out the immense benefits this scheme would provide, right across Cheshire and the opportunities for funding which are coming along at the moment.

We are still waiting for results from the meeting last November in which representatives from Cheshire East and Network Rail were able to meet face to face to discuss the re-opening of this line.

We also talked about the new 'Cheshire Fresh' development in Holmes Chapel Road which has just been granted planning permission, and felt that this, once again, strengthens the case for the new station.

Discussion of the diverted Virgin trains which ran through Middlewich on the 16th March also took place. We have some great photos of these trains from Glen Leigh and David Hawkes, and these will appear in due course on this website.

If you'd like to make your own representations on Cheshire East's Local Plan Strategy document, here is the link:


It is also possible to make submissions in writing by obtaining forms from the local library and other Cheshire East offices. Details are on the Cheshire East website.

Submissions need to be in for 5pm on Friday 25th April.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email us on


and we'll do our best to answer them

Dave Roberts
MRLC
27th March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

MIDDLEWICH DIVERSIONS MARCH 16th 2014

Virgin diversion near Croxton Lane, August 2013

Andrew Macfarlane of our parent organisation MCRUA writes:

I've just received my latest copy of Branch Line News, the journal of the Branch Line Society and it mentions that Virgin Trains are diverting passenger trains via Middlewich on Sunday 16th March. The trains involved are the 11.54, 12.40, 13.50 and 14.35 from Chester and the 10.02 from Crewe.
Andrew    

Here are the train timings (courtesy of Railforum):

Train no 1A27

Holyhead 10.08, Middlewich 12.31 (from Northwich)

Train no 1A35

Holyhead 11.00, Middlewich 13.20 (from Northwich)

Train no 1A43

Holyhead 12 noon, Middlewich  14.32 (from Northwich)

Train no 1A 51

Holyhead 13.00, Middlewich 15.14 (from Northwich)

Train no 1D83

Crewe 10.02, Middlewich 10.21 (from Sandbach)

Full details of all timings from Railforum:

RAILFORUM LINK

PHOTOS BY DAVID HAWKES AND GLEN LEIGH