Council leaders from the North West are backing the £1 billion campaign for rail improvements throughout North Wales and Cheshire.
Manchester City Council leader, Sir Richard Leese and Liverpool Mayor, Joe Anderson are among the senior figures who have called for the Government to back the Growth Track 360 campaign.
Also behind the campaign are Merseytravel chair Cllr, Liam Robinson and Manchester Science Partnerships chairman, Chris Oglesby.
Growth Track 360 is led by political leaders, the public sector and a cross-border alliance of businesses and, if successful, the campaign would provide a welcome boost for Wirral, Cheshire and North Wales economies, as they would be connected to the planned HS2 line and provide better links to Greater Manchester and Liverpool.
Over a 20 year period, the £1 billion investment would lead to more than 70,000 jobs being created in the North West region.
Leese said that the campaign is crucial as connectivity is imperative to the region’s development and strength.
He believes that by improving transport links between Greater Manchester, Cheshire and North Wales will provide a much needed boost to business in the region and support the aspirations of the Northern Powerhouse.
Leese added: “Opening up communities, increasing networks, and delivering access to employment opportunities across the regions is key to strengthening our local economies and creating a more effective, connected and ultimately, powerful whole and I am fully behind this much-needed campaign.”
The campaign is being driven by the North Wales and Mersey Dee Rail Task Force (NW&MD) and has so far secured the backing of the eight local authorities in the area: the North Wales Economic Ambition Board, the North Wales Business Council, the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Mersey Dee Alliance.
The campaign wants the line between North Wales and Crewe to be electrified, which would allow the region to be more easily linked to HS2.
