Council wants Ditton Station to reopen but says funding is needed
The main railway buildings at Ditton were flattened more than 20 years ago, but the platforms and infrastructure remain(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
Halton Council still wants to re-open a railway station closed more than three decades ago, but said funding must be secured first.
Ditton Station was closed in 1994 and its main buildings demolished in 2005, although its platforms still remain.
Now a transport infrastructure report – due to be presented to the council’s ruling executive board next week – outlines a number of ongoing and planned transport projects, including a desire to see a station re-open at Ditton.
It stated: “The re-opening of Ditton Station remains an ambition to support the planning growth and regeneration in the local area.”
It said funding must still be found for any such project but said its reopening would be factored in to research and feasibility studies aimed at improving accessibility in Halebank.
It added: “Options must compliment the Halton Curve (railway line) and potential reopening of Ditton Station to improve connectivity in the 3MG (industrial estate), Ditton, and wider Speke approaches growth corridor.”
The feasibility of reopening Ditton is also part of the Liverpool City Region (LCR) long term rail strategy, which continues to list the site as a potential location for a new station.
The Ditton and Halebank areas have seen significant numbers of new homes approved by planners in recent years, including on the site of the neighbouring Golden Triangle Industrial estate – much to the anger of businesses there.
The Halebank Parish Council has also raised concerns about the impact of increased traffic on the Ditton railway bridge itself due to the numbers of new homes being built, with Halton rejecting the concerns and stating the bridge is safe.
In addition to its ambitions for Ditton, the report said an appraisal would consider disabled access improvements at Hough Green Station.
Across the river, a new station is also planned at Daresbury, with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Merseyrail wanting to extend the Merseyrail network into Cheshire and North Wales. The report added that Runcorn Station was also to have a new station building.
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