Alsager councillor Rod Fletcher, who spent 28 years working in the rail industry, has hit out over plans to increase line capacity but bypass any links which would help the local area.

Cllr Fletcher, a retired rail operating manager, and a Cheshire East councillor for Alsager who spent 28 years working in the London Midland Regional Control Office, says the 'flip flopping' by the current Labour Government was "mystifying".

He said: "The decision by the previous Conservative Government to cancel H.S.2 was wrong and the current flip flopping by the current Labour Government on how to achieve increased capacity on the West Coast Mainline which will improve passenger services and also to allow freight to be diverted from road to rail is mystifying.

"Any proposal to build a new line to increase capacity that passes close to but avoids Crewe is bonkers!

"The original H. S. 2 proposal did avoid Crewe but common sense did prevail eventually.

"I sincerely hope that common sense will also prevail on this proposed new line from Birmingham to High Legh that will connect into the Powerhouse Rail Line between Liverpool and Manchester.

"Failure to build this line but running Old Common to Birmingham services forward on to the West Coast Mainline at Hansacre will result in reduced capacity. This could put some of the slower, cheaper L. N. W. services at risk..

"Likewise it is the Government's hope to increase freight on rail by 75% by 2050. This will not happen without significant increased capacity.

"If this new Government is really serious about increasing freight on rail it also needs to reinstate the Golbourne Link. There is an old saying, don't spoil your ship for a hapence of tar.

"My message to this Labour Government is if you are really serious about better connectivity in Public Transport this new line has to have full connectivity with most services stopping at Crewe."