A NEW push to help provide a new station at Bank Quay to improve transport connections in Warrington has been unveiled.
Warrington business leader, Paul Taylor, and Cheshire entrepreneur, Trevor Brocklebank, have also been appointed to The Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board .
Their inclusion ensures the region will be well represented in the development of the new vision.
Paul Taylor, born and raised in Glazebury, is the managing director of Warrington-based companies Taylor Estates (Cheshire) Limited and Cheshire Telecom Limited.
Trevor Brocklebank is the co-founder of Warrington-headquartered Home Instead Senior Care, now recognised as the UK’s leading home care specialists.
He also co-founded Mezenet, an IT Business Intelligence Consultancy, servicing clients such as Unilever, the BBC, and Novartis.
Both men, along with Warrington Borough Council Leader, Cllr Hans Mundry, who is a member of the main board, will play an important role in ensuring the region remains central to the discussions.
Warrington looks set to play a key role in the plans, with a new low-level station at Warrington Bank Quay the primary option for the next stage of development for the route between Liverpool and Manchester.
The station would become the only hub station for the new line, bringing huge transport, economic, and regeneration benefits to Warrington and Cheshire.
Cllr Hans Mundry said: "I’m pleased to represent the interests of Warrington on the board, and will continue to push for Warrington to play a major part in regional rail plans.
"For example, a new rail line and a new interchange station at Warrington Bank Quay will provide huge opportunities for economic regeneration of the area.
"The proposals coming forward are a real example of public-private partnership in action.
"Equally, it’s good to see that there is strong Cheshire and Warrington representation on the board, with Trevor and Paul also joining.
"It is recognition of the strong part our region has to play in taking these ambitious plans forward."
The Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board will be led by former Rail Minister and Chair of the Transport Select Committee, Huw Merriman.
The board's primary goal is to support the development and delivery of a new railway between the two cities.
Mr Merriman's experience as a former Conservative MP will be integral to the board's efforts.
The board will work closely with the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board to provide private sector expertise, experience, and strategic advice.
This will help build the business case for the most 'ambitious line possible'.
The Railway Board has also unveiled a new report which sets out the investment case for a new railway, exploring the potential benefits for regional and national growth.
The report says the right scheme could be worth an additional £7 billion per year and 40,000 additional jobs by 2050, as well as supporting the construction of 300,000 new homes.
The preferred options include transformational investment in city centre stations in Liverpool and a modern, underground station at Manchester Piccadilly.
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