HS2 to arrive early - in Crewe?
Now, there are not many things that those of us who live near Crewe can crow about at the moment (although the mighty Crewe Alex did manage to get themselves off the bottom of League One at the weekend). However, today's announcement that the first part of the HS2 rail link that will be completed six years early (yes, six!) will join the UK's second largest city, Birmingham, to..... Crewe.
On my journey around the country delivering CPD I often tell people that I live near Crewe and the usual response is 'oh yes, I've been through there on the train'. The town has a long and proud heritage associated with trains (the aforementioned football club is nicknamed 'The Railwaymen') but it may seem a little odd that the first part of the building blocks that will unlock the 'Northern Powerhouse' will come to this little place in South Cheshire.
On my journey around the country delivering CPD I often tell people that I live near Crewe and the usual response is 'oh yes, I've been through there on the train'. The town has a long and proud heritage associated with trains (the aforementioned football club is nicknamed 'The Railwaymen') but it may seem a little odd that the first part of the building blocks that will unlock the 'Northern Powerhouse' will come to this little place in South Cheshire.
The answer lies not in what Crewe itself has to offer but its position with regards to facilitating the further expansion of the rail link.
The town is positive to the development, with little objection to the obvious disruption that will be caused to the beautiful countryside that surrounds the place. There is that tradition that I mentioned, with a new University Technology College opening soon that will specialise in engineering alongside the external economies of scale that arrives from decades of railway experience and rolling stock production. Geographically it then allows a 'hub' to take trains on to Manchester and Liverpool - key players in the Northern Powerhouse setup that George Osborne has so often discussed.
Click here for a link to the BBC website for a little more insight and analysis, as well as an artist's impression of the new station at Crewe. Imagine the size of the WH Smith!
The town is positive to the development, with little objection to the obvious disruption that will be caused to the beautiful countryside that surrounds the place. There is that tradition that I mentioned, with a new University Technology College opening soon that will specialise in engineering alongside the external economies of scale that arrives from decades of railway experience and rolling stock production. Geographically it then allows a 'hub' to take trains on to Manchester and Liverpool - key players in the Northern Powerhouse setup that George Osborne has so often discussed.
Click here for a link to the BBC website for a little more insight and analysis, as well as an artist's impression of the new station at Crewe. Imagine the size of the WH Smith!
No comments:
Post a Comment