A POLITICAL storm broke at Warrington over Government proposals for a new high speed rail link to the North West.
Labour refused to support a motion welcoming the link because it included praise for the Government’s “commitment to creating jobs and prosperity by investing in capital infrastructure to ensure a fair deal for the north.”
The ruling Lib Dem-Conservative group would not remove the offending words so Labour – supported by two Lib Dem councillors, Graham Welborn and Judith Wheeler – abstained from voting.
Coun Terry O’Neill, (right) leader of the Labour group, said he fully supported the high speed rail link.
But he could not accept that the Coalition Government had a commitment to the North.
He said: “They have adopted a slash and burn policy that will lead to economic disaster. Millions of jobs will be lost and the region that will be hit most is the North West, where 100,000 jobs could be lost.”
The motion was eventually forced through by the controlling group – together with an agreement to write to Warrington’s two MPs asking them to press for a link from the new line to the West Coast Main Line, south of Warrington.
Coun Alan Litton (left) said the new high speed line, with a link to the West Coast line could cut journey times between Warrington and London by half to between an hour and an hour and-a-quarter.
It would also release capacity on the West Coast line and there was a possibility of an interchange station at Warrington and could strengthen Warrington’s position in the Manchester to Liverpool corridor..
Storm over high speed rail link
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
4 Comments
Coun O’Neill needs either a maths lesson, or a lesson in avoiding blatant exaggeration.
If “millions of jobs” will be lost (millions, plural), and “100,000” could be in the North West, then – since the NW counties contain about 13% of the UK population – there’s no way that “the region that will be hit most is the North West” can possibly be even close to being true.
This high speed rail link is unlikely to produce great benefits to Warrington – it’s not even certain that there will be a station there! If the council wants to push for investing in capital infrastructure in the north west, then they ought to be pushing for electrification of the existing Manchester to Liverpool line via Warrington Central – which I’m certain would be more beneficial to most people who live and work in Warrington than a high speed vanity project.
Assuming all Labour members plus Graham Welborn & Judith Wheeler……
I just want to reitterate the names. As These are the names of people so bent on petty squabbles that they abstain from voting on important issues that may benefit or otherwise the whole of warrington. This is why nothing good comes of the parties either in power or otherwise, selfish namecalling, bickerering an oneupmanship. well done, hope you are proud of yourselves.
Well said !! How can someone fully support a motion and yet at the same time refuse to ‘support’ it just becasue of a few meaningless words ‘praising’ their opposition. WORDS that’s all 🙂 It really annoys me when councillors simply abstain from voting all together as it’s pointless. If they don’t agree with a motion they should simply vote ‘against’ it that way a motion or decision will not be simply approved/refused based on the other for/against votes cast. What would happen if all but one abstained… would the one and only vote cast be the decider ?? I suppose if they abstain they cant be ‘blamed’ for anything though eh (wink) Oh and