Cheadle train station plans take next step forward

Plans for a new £9 million train station for Cheadle have moved forward as Stockport Council agrees to submit its business case to government to have final sign off on the scheme.

Stockport Council’s Cabinet met on Tuesday 15th March and gave their approval of the plans, which are being funded by a successful bid to the Towns Fund. The Council will now formally submit its business case for the new station to government to have final say over the scheme.

Cheadle has lacked a railway link since the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, which saw a number of poorly-used stations and services cut from the then British Rail network, with nearest connections currently at Gatley and Cheadle Hulme. The new station will be located next to the Alexandra Hospital and offer direct rail links to Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly on its Eastbound platform, and to Altrincham, Knutsford, Northwich and Chester on its Westbound platform.

Funding for the scheme has been secured via the government’s Towns Fund, aimed at helping to revitalise and deliver long-term growth in smaller towns across England, which has offered Cheadle £14 million for the station and other schemes, including a £4 million eco-business park and £1 million of walking and cycling improvements to boost access to the district centre.

Advocates for the station plans include Conservative Cheadle MP, Mary Robinson, and Labour’s Cllr David Meller, ward member for Cheadle Hulme North and cabinet member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council.

Cllr Meller is optimistic for government to approve the plans for the new station. Speaking at Stockport Council’s Cabinet meeting on 15th March, he said:

“We have pretty much got a partial green light but we need a full green light now. And I’m fully expecting the government to give us that unless something dramatically changes. But I don’t want to put my neck on the line too much at this stage.”