THE POSSIBILITY of improved rail links through Cheshire West and Chester was raised in a Commons debate.

Alison McGovern, Labour MP for Wirral South, referred both to the electrification of the Bidston to Wrexham railway line, which passes through Neston, and the future of the Halton Curve.

The cross-Mersey link could provide routes into Liverpool and help with managing the West Coast Main Line, she told rail minister Theresa Villiers (Con).

The MP said: “Parts of my constituency are very well connected to employment centres in Liverpool and Chester, and onwards to Warrington and Manchester, but other parts are less fortunate.

“They are served by a railway running from Bidston, on the Wirral, through Heswall, Neston and Deeside to Wrexham in North Wales.

“I stand to be corrected, but I believe the route has received little or no significant investment for years.”

She said the ‘unreliable and infrequent service’ meant some constituents who had the choice tended to opt for their cars rather than the train and MPs representing constituencies in North Wales ‘tell me that it is also common in Flintshire and Deeside for people to opt automatically for their car rather than the train’.

“Electrifying the line, which is fewer than 30 miles in length, would tie it in and provide through services to Liverpool and more frequent trains,” she added.

The minister replied she was aware of the scheme and had discussed it with Merseytravel.

“I acknowledge its potential in relation to the economies of Wirral and Deeside and she is right to mention the potential benefits of better links between north Wales and Merseyside,” said Mrs Villiers.

“She will probably be aware that a few years ago Merseytravel and the Welsh Government asked Network Rail to undertake a study outlining the costs of the electrification proposal and the figure produced was £207m so it is quite a high-cost scheme, which makes delivery a challenge.”

The Government supported electrification but schemes had to show value for money and be affordable.

On proposals to upgrade the Halton Curve, she said: “We recognise the potential local benefits and we would be happy to work with the local authorities on their aspirations.

“However, again, the local authorities need to identify the funding.”