An ambitious project to re-open Beeston and Tarporley Station has received the go-ahead and Government funding to progress to the next stage.
The Department for Transport has announced that Beeston and Tarporley Station Reopening Group have been successful in their bid to the Beeching Reversal “Ideas Fund”.
This means they have secured resources to progress the project to the next stage of development.
Michael Flynn, Chairman of the Beeston and Tarporley Station Reopening Group, is delighted at the latest news.
He added: “This is just the start of a long process, but it is a major achievement for all of those who worked so long and hard to prepare an outstanding proposal.
“There were more than 50 bids submitted to the Department for Transport and, only 15 have been successful in progressing to the next stage, so this is a major vote of confidence in the project.
“I would particularly like to thank our local MP Edward Timpson for his unswerving support and sponsorship, without which this success would simply not have been possible.”
The award is for £50,000 towards developing a formal business case.
It also comes with the pledge of Department for Transport support to ensure the next phase — a submission to the Stations Fund for funding to construct and commission the station — is robust and capable of approval.
Eddisbury MP Edward Timpson added: “This is excellent news which I’m delighted to welcome, and it underlines how passionate people are about reconnecting communities.
“Local MPs and community leaders are the greatest champions of their local lines, and I will continue to work with Mike and his group to ensure this project is well supported in Whitehall.
“Improving local transport links is vital as we level up access to opportunities across the country, reconnect our lives and kickstart our recovery from Covid-19.”
(Image: Beeston Castle & Tarporley Station in 1961 – pic by Ben Brookshank, creative commons licence)
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But why was it closed in the first place? Not viable?
It was closed in the Beeching cuts of the 1960s. Beeching’s view was that road transport was the way of the future and we only needed a trunk rail network. He thought that people in our area would take a bus to Chester or Crewe to access the rail network there.