MP slams Network Rail for 'neglecting' Northwich station

Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury is calling on Network Rail to restore the Victorian canopy at the town's station.

The canopy was ruined when the station roof collapsed in May 2021, which he believes to be the result of large roots which had been allowed to grow.

Mr Amesbury said: “The locally-listed Northwich station, which opened on January 1, 1863, was neglected to the point that it fell down. It’s only by some miracle nobody was killed or seriously injured.

“I don’t know whether roots within the structure caused it to collapse but it surely can’t be right and why was it not picked up during a routine inspection of the building?”

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Large roots pictured in the walls of Northwich Station in 2021 following the collapse (Image: Mike Amesbury)

Network Rail recently splashed £1.6 million on restoring Victorian canopies at Wilmslow Station.

Upon completion of this work, Network Rail’s senior asset manager Mike Cheadle said: “We take great care to look after our heritage buildings.”

These comments left Mr Amesbury 'incensed'.

He added: “I’m very pleased Wilmslow Station has undergone a refurbishment. But the photos, taken by my team when I visited Northwich Station shortly after it collapsed, portray the reality versus Network Rail’s claim to care about its heritage buildings.

“I’d like to see some ‘levelling up’ with the Victorian canopy restored at our heritage station of Northwich as well, for the benefit of my community and my constituents.

“In relation to Network Rail’s claim to be committed to making the railway ‘fit for the future’, how about making the far platform accessible to the elderly and disabled?”

“I want to see more action and hear less guff from Network Rail.”

READ MORE: 'Looking better than ever' - Victorian station built in 1842 gets £1.6m upgrade

Weaver Vale Labour MP Mike Amesbury at Northwich Station shortly after it collapsed in May 2021 (Image: Supplied)

A spokesperson for Network Rail says it is 'misleading' of the MP to make comparisons between the two stations, in part due to the difference in the number of people who use each station.

According to Office of Rail and Road data, more than 1.5m passenger journeys were made at Wilmslow in the year to March 2020, compared with just 205,000 at Northwich.

The spokesperson said: “Comparing to the recent renovations at Wilmslow is misleading.

"The decision to carry out and fund the work there was taken as part of planned and programmed works long before the incident at Northwich.

"Network Rail prioritises where to carry out heritage upgrades by assessing the nature of the station, site specific considerations such as how many people use a station, and the state of the repairs required.

"Work at Wilmslow was prioritised as temporary scaffolding was needed to support parts of the structure originating from 1842.

"We do care very much about the heritage of the railway, which is why the rebuilding work at Northwich Station seeks to match the nature of what was there before.”

The finished canopy upgrades at Wilmslow (Image: Network Rail)

The spokesperson added: “Since the unexpected partial collapse of a gable end wall at Northwich Station we have been in regular communication with local stakeholders including Mike Amesbury’s office.

"We’ve been open about the steps we’re taking with the rebuild and what falls within the funding for it.

"Unfortunately, that does not include any extra accessibility upgrades in addition to what was at the station before.

"Some repairs to the existing canopies will be taking place but a full-scale restoration like that recently completed at Wilmslow is not anticipated."