Chester MP Stephen Mosley welcomed Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to Chester train station.
The visit saw the Secretary of State taken on a tour of the train station and the redevelopment planned for the surrounding area, including a new pedestrian crossing at Hoole Bridge, the new business district and the new Waitrose supermarket.
Following the tour, Mr Mosley discussed his campaign to electrify the rail lines in and out of Chester, highlighting the economic benefits for the city and the importance of connecting Chester to the proposed HS2 line.
Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said: “(Mr Mosley) knows how important Chester station is to the local economy. By making the case for electrification, he is backing Chester to be the best it can be.”
Last year, entries and exits to Chester station surged to more than 3 million, a rise of 50,000 from 2012.
Speaking after the visit, Mr Mosley said: “I’m delighted to welcome Patrick to Chester. He knows how important Chester is and that we need a fit-for-purpose transport network.
“Today was an important milestone in my campaign for the electrification of the railway line from Crewe to Chester. I’ll now continue to make the case to the Government task force to deliver for Chester.”
