Villagers called to ‘step up’ and get station on track
PEOPLE in Cheadle are being urged to ‘step up’ and play their part in making sure plans for a new train station in the village arrive at their destination.
The Stockport suburb was awarded nearly £14m in the spring budget after bidding for cash from the government’s ‘towns fund’ - a key plank of ministers’ ‘levelling up’ agenda.
The cash covers three projects, but by far the largest is the £9m scheme that would see the town served by its own railway station for the first time since the mid-1960s.
The new stop would be on the Chester to Manchester (Mid Cheshire) line next to the Alexandra Hospital and just 100m north of Cheadle High Street.
Efforts to deliver the new station have been driven by a Towns Fund board including Mary Robinson, Conservative MP for Cheadle, and town hall economy chief Councillor David Meller.
But while the board’s investment plan has been signed off, a final business case needs to be approved before trains arrive in Cheadle once again.
The backing of residnets will be vital in finally getting the project over the line.
Coun Meller has now urged Chedlians to ‘step up’ and get involved with a public consultation which launched this week.
He said: “This something I have been passionate about, as public transport within Cheadle is not particularly good to say the least.
“But we now have a fantastic chance to crack this and residents really need to get involved and have their say on the plan.”
More than 75pc of respondents to Cheadle Village Partnership survey said that accessibility to the wider rail network should be a priority, and specifically, that a new railway station should be provided.
It is understood to be the biggest survey ever undertaken in Cheadle on a local issue.
“Ultimately this is now where residents have the opportunity to have their say on the railway station proposals,” added Coun Meller.
“We have already done a survey led by Cheadle Village Partnership and, overwhelmingly, people loved the idea of a station.
“In order to support the business case we need residents to comment more formally on the proposals.”
Plans for the new station include a single platform and shelter catering for trains in both directions and a car park with electric vehicle charging points and disabled spaces.
Once open, it would be far easier for residents to get to places along the Chester to Manchester line - including direct rail links into Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly.
Coun Meller said: “I have spoken and campaigned at length about how poor public transport is in Cheadle. If we can get the railway station to connect with the mid-Cheshire line it would be a massive improvement and potentially crack the issue we have with the lack of public transport.”
Vehicle access would be via Manchester Road, while there would also be cycle parking and new cycling routes to and from the station.
Coun Meller stresses that, as well as improving connectivity, the new station would also boost the local economy.
“It’s not just investment in public transport, it’s investment in Cheadle village as well - and the future of the village,” he said.
“There’s a lot riding on it that’s why I encourage residents to speak up as much as they can, because the proposals are there, we just need to get the business case together and we need residents to back us.”
“It’s a real opportunity to address the shortcomings in public transport in Cheadle. I’m really keen we can get this done, but ultimately it’s up to residents to have their say on why it’s so important.”
While the station is undoubtedly the priority the money - £13.9m in total - will also fund two other projects.
The first is a low-carbon eco business park at Bird Hall Lane described as ‘game changing’ and ‘state-of-the-art’ by town hall chiefs.
And there are also plans to create a ‘coherent network’ of walking and cycling schemes across Cheadle, to encourage to people travel to the station either by bike or on foot.
The council’s consultation runs until November 7 and can be found here: https://www.stockport. gov.uk/consultations.
“We now have a fantastic chance to crack this and residents really need to get involved”