Aaron Bell MP, Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Supports ‘Restoring Your Railways’ Bid.

 

Aaron Bell MP is pleased to support a bid aiming to restore railways to Newcastle-under-Lyme. Passenger trains last ran to Newcastle in 1964, but it is the second largest town in the UK without a railway station of its own. If successful, the bid would help fund transport and economic studies as well as create a business case for early-stage ideas to restore lost rail services connections to communities.

The project, proposed by Moorland & City Railways Ltd, would seek the return of the former Newcastle-under-Lyme to Madeley line to its junction with the West Coast main line, extending it for a short distance into the centre of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Service plans would be for one service to Manchester or Liverpool, via Crewe, and another to Birmingham via Stafford.

There are two stations proposed, one in Newcastle town centre and one serving both Silverdale and Keele University.

Aaron Bell MP said: “I am pleased to announce that I have sponsored a bid to investigate the possibility of restoring a mainline rail connection to Newcastle, out past Silverdale and to the West Coast Mainline.

“It is well worth exploring the possibility of this bid and I am keen to see Government funding made available to allow us to look at the proposals in further detail.

 

“I believe this bid, if successful, would ultimately boost connectivity for residents, provide major economic benefits for local businesses, and give better access to Keele University for students. It would also connect up the two campuses of Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group. All this would support the levelling up agenda in Newcastle.’”

 

Responding in the Commons, Transport Minister Andrew Stephenson MP said “My Honourable Friend makes a very strong case for his constituency. As he correctly points out, the £500 million Restoring Your Railway fund is one of the many ways in which we are intending to level up the country and build back better. The Rail Minister, as chair of the panel, looks forward to reviewing the bid that my Honourable Friend has submitted, and I know he would be happy to meet him to discuss the proposals further.”

 

ENDS

For more information and media interviews, please contact Aaron Bell MP on 020 7219 5610 (number not for publication).

Notes to editors

The attached image is a schematic of the proposed route.