Plans to extend the Metrolink to Stockport are being "actively studied" by the Department of Transport Boris Johnson said today. He made the comment after Cheadle's MP said she now wanted to see trams running through the town after a new railway station was given the green light.
It was this week announced that nearly £14m had been secured from the government’s Towns Fund, which will go towards the construction of the new train station, and two other projects. They also include a north-south cycling and walking route which will link the station to the town centre, and building a new Eco Business Park on Bird Hall Lane.
The single platform station, due to open in 2025, will connect Cheadle to Stockport town centre and beyond. However at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) today (Wednesday) Cheadle MP Mary Robinson said she now wanted to see the Mid-Cheshire line on which the station will sit made into a double line, and an extension of the Metrolink into the town.
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"After securing almost £14m in my town's fund bid for Cheadle, I was delighted last week to get the green light for our new Cheadle rail station, and £4m for our state-of-the-art eco business park," she said.
"I have had tremendous support from the Cheadle Towns Board and local community who understand how important it is to have connected towns and villages bringing investment and hi-tech jobs to our area. I'm ambitious for Cheadle. I now want to secure the re-doubling of the mid-Cheshire line and the extension of Metrolink through my constituency.
"Will my right honorable friend join me in thanking the Towns Board and station working group for their support and agree with me that improving connectivity is key to economic growth and the future of our leveling up agenda."
In response, Mr Johnson said: "It's thanks to the massive exertions of this government in leveling up with the £650 billion investment in infrastructure that we're having a new railway station in Cheadle, for instance Mr Speaker. I know that the bids that my honourable friend just mentioned are now being actively studied by the Department for Transport and she should feed in more to them."
The extension of the tram network to Stockport is something that has been mooted as far back as 2004. In 2020 Andy Burnham announced plans to bring Metrolink to the borough within 10 years.
The Greater Manchester Mayor said he wanted work on extending the East Didsbury line to Stockport's new transport interchange, currently under construction on the site of the town's old bus station, to start as early as 2025.
It is understood work on a business case for the project, estimated to cost between £500m and £1bn, is ongoing with 'tram-train' services where Metrolink and mainline services share lines one of the options being explored. The town centre interchange has been designed to leave space for the addition of any future Metrolink or Tram-Train extensions.
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