I wanted to secure last week’s adjournment debate to recognise the importance of Crewe Railway Station, not just to my constituents in Crewe and Nantwich, but to the entire region of Cheshire East, the North West of England, and the nation as a whole.
Crewe Train Station has been a linchpin of the UK rail network. It is one of the only train stations in the country that provides 360-degree connectivity to every country and region of the United Kingdom. The station has 12 platforms, over 3 million passengers pass through annually and over 2,000 trains use the station each week. It is a genuine strategic asset for regional and national infrastructure.
But the significance of Crewe Train Station goes beyond its enormous benefit to the rail network. Within my constituency it has strong ties to engineering and advanced manufacturing firms like Bentley and Alstom in Crewe. In the surrounding regions, many businesses exist because of the opportunities that Crewe Railway Station provides, in enabling supply chains, employment opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach, and ensuring the growth of local businesses.
Crewe Railway Station serves as a vital node along the West Coast Mainline, which connects London to the Midlands and the North-West and Scotland. Approximately 75% of all freight trains that use the West Coast mainline pass through Crewe.
The plans for HS2 would have seen Crewe form a central cog in Phase 2a, connecting high-speed rail in Birmingham to the wider network as a key interchange. Projections suggested that doing so could support the creation of 100,000s of jobs and provide billions to the regional economy in the short-term, not to mention the logistical benefits for rail operators.
The last Government botched the job. This left many communities across the North of England, and perhaps none more so than the one I represent, demoralised and disillusioned, left behind once again. That decision also meant putting on hold the modernisation of Crewe Station, which raises even more questions about its future.
But it’s not just Crewe Station, it’s the rail infrastructure in our country that is not fit for purpose as things stand, and that will only be exacerbated as time ticks on without crucial investment. I’m also thankful for Network Rail, alongside Siemens, who recently completed a £190m overhaul of the line for the benefit of the wider West Coast Mainline.
However, I truly believe there is a need to go further, and should they not commit to Phase 2, then at least consider the many outstanding alternatives that organisations have put forward, and the position of Crewe within those plans: projects like Growth Track 360 and the Midlands-North West Rail Link in particular. They are two vital pieces of work that both recognise the need to invest in our railways for growth across the region, but also feature Crewe as an integral part in both their proposals.
Investing in rail goes beyond the economic benefits though. It is also about addressing the climate crisis, ensuring that cars get off the road and that modern electrified rail lines create a transport system that is fit for the 21st century.
In 2022-23, rail contributed to 1.3% of the UK’s total emissions from transport but a proportionately overwhelming 9% of all passenger kilometres travelled. A journey from London to Glasgow by train would use less than a third of the kilograms of CO2e than petrol cars, and around a sixth less than the equivalent plane journey. Transport in total accounts for 27% of all greenhouse gas emissions, the largest in our society, and shifting journeys from road to rail can play a crucial role in the Government meeting climate targets. Rail travel is one of the most sustainable forms of transport, and by investing in Crewe, we can invest in the electrification of the line and a green future for the local transport system.
I firmly believe that Crewe Train Station is a national treasure and, despite short-term constraints on the Treasury which the Government has made abundantly clear, and which I fully appreciate, I hope they see that too. I gently urge the Government to recognise how critical Crewe could be for future Government-backed projects, and alternatives to the North Leg of HS2, which can bring vast benefits to regional economic growth and improvements to both rail connectivity and infrastructure.
This Government must take decisive action to secure the future of rail in this country. Crewe has been the beating heart of our rail network for almost 200 years now, and I ask our Government to ensure that remains the case.
The Government must secure the future of rail in this country, ensuring that stations like Crewe remain at the heart of the network
