WARRINGTON Borough Council has called on high-speed rail developer HS2 Ltd to change track on its proposals.
The proposed northern spur, proposed to head beyond from Manchester to a new rail depot, could be a waste of money, say council chiefs. 
Council leader Cllr Terry O’Neill (pictured) said: “Recently we asked HS2 Ltd some searching questions. We’ve reviewed the responses we got from them, and we’re not convinced they’ve got it right.
“The need for the proposed spur is not proven and it could be a big waste of money. It could easily cost £1 billion or more but it would add nothing to the business case of HS2. As far as Warrington itself is concerned, the spur would bring unnecessary disruption, loss of jobs at Taylor Business Park and no compensating economic benefit.
“We would prefer that the money be spent on upgrading Bank Quay station and upgrading the West Coast mainline to take the ‘classic compatible’ high-speed trains.”
An option identified under the current proposals is that the “classic compatible” trains – so-called because they would be able to run on both the proposed new high-speed tracks and the existing rails – might run once an hour from London Euston to Crewe on the high-speed track, and then continue to Warrington Bank Quay at lower speeds.
But Warrington’s council leadership suggests that in addition to this, instead of spending an estimated £1 billion on the proposed spur, the money could be invested partly in improved signalling north of Crewe – where there have been no significant upgrades since 1974 – allowing both greater capacity and higher speeds, and partly on developing Warrington Bank Quay station to take the proposed 400-metre-long trains and handle larger passenger numbers.
HS2 should change track
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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.
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It is nice to know that our labour councilors and local MP Helen Jones have just woken up to the HS2 issue that lots of us have been discussing. I do believe that the suggestion of improving Bank Quay was an idea from the STOP HS2 group. Better late than never but as always those in the political light do not really work for us but for their own end game.
Although Helen Jones & Co. have been asking “searching questions” it’s still unclear whether Helen herself attended the HSR Paving Bill debate and vote on Thursday 31/10. On the day, her office was unable to provide clarification.
It’s all well and good asking questions but action is needed before it’s too late. Helen needs to be representing Warrington in the Commons like the following list of Labour MPs who voted against it:
CORBYN, Jeremy, Mr – CUNNINGHAM, Jim, Mr – DOBSON, Frank, Rt Hon – ENGEL, Natascha, Ms – FITZPATRICK, Jim, Mr – GODSIFF, Roger, Mr – HOEY, Kate, Ms – MCDONNELL, John, Mr – ROBINSON, Geoffrey, Mr – SHEERMAN, Barry, Mr – SKINNER, Dennis, Mr
Helen’s current level of indifference to the impact of HS2 will certainly impact on the Labour vote in Warrington North.