Conservative councillors have accused Cheshire East of “dumbing down” ambitions for Crewe after plans for a link road bridge near the railway station were shelved, writes Belinda Ryan.
Members of the council’s corporate policy committee voted to revoke a previous Cabinet decision in 2019 on the Crewe Southern Link Road Bridge preferred route and to revoke the decision of Cabinet in March 2020 to consult on the draft Crewe Hub Area Action Plan.
All are linked to the council’s plans for the arrival of HS2 in the town.
Deputy leader Craig Browne (Alderley Edge, Ind) told the meeting: “We will still be developing a revised transport strategy for Crewe to support the town’s transport needs and priorities.
“But we have to recognise that the original Crewe Hub Area Action Plan was based on assumptions that HS2 would arrive in Crewe in 2027, that phase 2B would be delivered by 2033 and the railway station itself will be redeveloped by 2025 in advance of HS2 arriving.
“Clearly, the past 18 months have been difficult, the economic landscape has changed during that time.”
He said HS2 services now won’t arrive in Crewe until 2028 at the earliest “and possibly as late as 2031”.
“Government priorities in terms of investment also changed and a number of projects are being funded through the Future High Street Fund,” said Cllr Browne.
“Due to this change and also the timing of the arrival of HS2 in Crewe… the proposals that were developed before the pandemic are unlikely to be delivered within the period of the original action plan.
“So, the Southern Link Road Bridge was linked to the full delivery of phases 2A and 2B with an accompanying assumption of government funding being available.
“Now, clearly, that’s no longer the case.”
But former Cheshire East leader Rachel Bailey (Audlem, Con), speaking as a visiting councillor, accused the council of dumbing down its plans.
“Why are we downgrading it now?
“Why are we potentially putting ourselves down the track of hemming in Crewe hub station in a way that the railway station was hemmed in forever?
“Why are we risking un-safeguarding land that may be part of that absolute vision?”
Knutsford councillor Stewart Gardiner (Con) acknowledged “it will take a brave person to say “no, let’s carry on” following the impact of the pandemic, but added: “I share Rachel Bailey’s concerns that we are dumbing down.
“If those trains are going to be here in 30/31 great, let’s get ready for them. Let’s not let’s not wait for them to arrive.
“I think we need to be more adventurous so, whatever happens today, please, please, please, come up with an adventurous, ambitious plan for Crewe.”
Conservative group leader Janet Clowes (Wybunbury) said scrapping the Southern Link Road Bridge proposal now might present a problem further down the line.
“When we do actually need to have some kind of new road bridge, that land may not be available, and we may actually have to pay through the nose for it, or some other alternative,” she said.
She asked what was the council’s plan for the future.
“My concern is that we could be in a position within the next few months where the original plan has fallen apart and there is nothing to replace it.”
Council leader Sam Corcoran (Lab) said: “Firstly, we’re not dumbing down.
“I think I heard Andrew Ross [officer] saying that this will actually improve our chances of getting the Great British Railways headquarters as just one opportunity here.
“We still don’t know when HS2 is coming here and the issues behind this paper [to the committee] really are down to the government changing the dates and changing the plans for HS2.”
The vote was seven in favour, two against with four councillors abstaining.
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