Calls for High Speed 2 trains to continue past Conwy Castle
9 May 2022
North Wales business group Growth Track 360 has stepped up its campaign for “visionary” rail investment in the region by calling for an electrified coastal line to accommodate High Speed 2 trains.
Ukrainian f
ine arts undergraduateNataliia Marchuk produced this conceptual artwork for Growth Track 360
It says an enhanced North Wales Mainline from Crewe to Holyhead would allow HS2 trains to run directly into the country from the planned high speed network in England.
To help the public to visualise the proposal, it commissioned a fine arts undergraduate from the University of Chester to paint a scene showing one of the new high speed trains passing Conwy Castle, half way along the North Wales line.
“This call for electrification and enabling HS2 connectivity on the line is explicit and timely as we look to see another phase of development work for the North Wales coast mainline to be included in the new Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline,” said Stephen Jones of Growth Track 360.
It suggests that an announcement on an updated rail pipeline could come from the UK Government following the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday.
Chester station. Image:
N Chadwick and licensed for
reuse under this Creative Commons
licence
The group is also calling for a complete modernisation of Chester station, a new station at Deeside Industrial Park and transformation of the Wrexham to Bidston line to allow ‘metro frequency’ trains to run from Wales into Liverpool.
Growth Track 360 chair Louise Gittins, who is also leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council, said: “With the local elections settled and new railway legislation about to be launched by the UK Government, now is the time to bring forward the investment programme we need to support a long term and irreversible improvement to the economic fortunes of our cross-border region.”
She added that the group stands ready to work with the Department for Transport, Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and Network Rail to bring about such a transformation.
North Wales Mersey Dee Business Council chief executive Ashley Rogers remarked: “As we strive for a sustainable, net zero carbon future along with economic recovery from the pandemic it is critical for the UK Government to release the funds necessary to accelerate the long overdue investment programme for our region’s rail infrastructure network.”
The Department for Transport was approached for comment.