Flintshire County Council have announced that their bid for a share of the second round of the government’s Levelling Up Fund has been backed by MPs, as well as local authority leaders from North Wales and the North West of England.
The bid, that will aim to increase investment in the Borderlands railway line between Wrexham and Liverpool, comes to £36 million and will use two investment schemes within the Levelling Up Fund to further progress on rail improvements.
Higher Frequency, faster, and more reliable rail links on the Borderlands Line will be aiming to attract more passengers, thanks through two projects:
- Deeside Industrial Park station will be a brand-new flagship station with active travel facilities and a bus interchange, as well as extensive car parking space.
- The Padeswood Hanson Cement works connection is to receive new sidings, alongside improved access arrangements.
Councillor Ian Roberts, Leader of Flintshire Council, said:
“Flintshire, Growth Track 360, and our supporters learned a great deal from our first application to the UK Levelling Up Fund for the Borderlands railway. With great support from Transport for Wales, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and the private sector, we have now produced a superb bid for Round two which, if approved by the UK Government, will accelerate the transformation of the Wrexham-Liverpool line, and assist in unleashing the full economic potential of our cross-border region.”
The council did submit an initial bid to the first round of the Levelling Up Fund in June 2021; however, it was rejected. Thanks to feedback from the government, and new, detailed input from Transport for Wales and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the bid has now been improved and the council hold hopes for a more positive outcome in the second round.
