North Wales MS Mark Isherwood highlighted in the Senedd this week the benefits to North Wales of HS2 and asked the Deputy Minister for Climate Change what actions the Welsh Government is taking to capitalise on this and other rail opportunities for the region.
Raising the matter in a question to the Deputy Minister, Lee Waters MS, on Transport Infrastructure in Alyn and Deeside, Mr Isherwood referred to the prospectus issued in 2016 by the ‘Growth Track 360’ partnership - a cross-border alliance of business, political and public sector leaders, including the North Wales Economic Ambition Board and the Mersey Dee Alliance – which stated that being able to link into HS2 would reduce congestion, improve business logistics and attract investment and jobs.
He added that, early last month, the Growth Track 360 partnership welcomed the introduction of the UK High-Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill (on 24th January), which will facilitate the construction of HS2, where confirmed plans include the new junction north of Crewe station that they had called for.
He said:
“In fact, their Vice-Chair, leader of Flintshire County Council, said 'Our industrial, commercial and tourism destinations would receive a tremendous boost through enhanced direct rail connectivity with London, Manchester and Manchester Airport provided by HS2 if our local lines are upgraded at the same time'.
“But when the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mersey Dee North Wales raised a similar issue in the House of Commons - the Vale of Clwyd MP, Dr James Davies - he got quite an encouraging response from the relevant UK Minister, who said that they would engage positively with the Union Connectivity Review, which included connections between Wales and Northern Ireland, published last November.
“So, what engagement are you having with all these various agencies, to capitalise on the opportunities that they're all seeking, and the general welcome they've all given to January's announcement?”
In his response, the Minister stated: “I note he's optimistic in pointing to the benefits to the north of having some connectivity into a line in England, but there is no benefit directly for passengers in Wales, or for infrastructure in Wales, and that should concern us all, across all parties”.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Isherwood said:
“In contrast to Lee Waters’ predictably partisan and negative response, the UK Department for Transport stated two years ago that once the HS2 project is completed, there will be shorter journey times from stations across north Wales via the Crewe hub, to London and other cities.
“Growth Track 360 Chair and Leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council, Councillor Louise Gittins, said: “In November, Sir Peter Hendy’s Union Connectivity Review carried out for the UK Government recognised North Wales and North West England as a highly integrated cross-border economy that will benefit from a programme of transport improvements that will improve union connectivity” and, responding in the Commons to Dr James Davies MP, the Minister of State for Northern Ireland said that the UK Government ‘will engage positively with the Union Connectivity Review, which will look at how we can improve the transport landscape across the whole UK, including connections between Wales and Northern Ireland’.
“As James Davies said, “‘We need to see the improvement of North Wales line speeds and ultimately electrification under the decarbonisation of rail agenda - working with the Growth Track 360 campaign to push for a connection between HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail at Warrington which works for North Wales”.