Delays 'risk derailing station improvement work'
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council leader Simon Tagg said funding had been secured for a scheme, which included parking for 200 cars and a new transport interchange, to better connect services at Kidsgrove Railway Station.
However, he said Network Rail was blocking work to investigate the extent of subsidence in the area following decades of coal mining nearby.
Network Rail has been contacted for a comment.
It is understood funding for the project will lapse in March 2027.
Tagg said bosses at Network Rail - which owns and manages most of the railway infrastructure in Great Britain - had demanded a fully-funded restoration plan prior to granting permission for the work.
He said he felt this was unrealistic as Kidsgrove Town Deal Board, which is overseeing the scheme, would not be able to predict costings until the work had begun.
The town board only had a fixed budget to work with, he added.
He said funding for the Kidsgrove station upgrade was announced in October 2023 following the cancellation of the northern section of HS2.
It is believed the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been monitoring the situation, and is in discussion with both Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and Network Rail.
The BBC understands the government department expects decisions relating to the project to be handled by the borough council and Kidsgrove Town Deal Board.
Mr Tagg said he had written to local MP David Williams, urging him to ensure funding was still in place, but had not received a response.
Mr Williams did not respond to the BBC's request for a comment.
"This delay is frustrating because not only do we risk losing funding for a much-needed project, but town deal money has been used successfully elsewhere in Kidsgrove," Mr Tagg said.
"The train station upgrade is an important part of Kidsgrove's regeneration and we need a resolution," he added.
Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Mining works could derail station upgrade - MP
Colourful projections light up Victorian tunnels
Chancellor announces £1bn for 45 areas of England
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool splash out to secure status as Premier League's top dogs
Fresh from storming to a record-equalling 19th English top-flight title, Liverpool have not held back in transforming Arne Slot's squad in pursuit of an era of Premier League dominance. On top of retaining veteran stars Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah to new contracts, the Reds have splashed out £260 million ($350 million) and are reportedly far from finished in the transfer market. Two of the Bundesliga's most promising talents Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike have arrived at Anfield to add extra creativity and goals. Jeremie Frimpong has also made the move from Germany with the daunting task of replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while Milos Kerkez joined from Bournemouth as the long-term successor to Andy Robertson at left-back. More defensive reinforcements are imminent with the club closing in on deals for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi and 18-year-old Italian centre-back Giovanni Leoni from Parma. But it is the potential addition of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak for a British transfer record fee in excess of £115 million that is the transfer saga of the English summer. - Risky and rare strategy - Liverpool were among the lowest Premier League spenders last year as Slot oversaw a steady transition from Jurgen Klopp in spectacular style. A huge investment this time round is also possible because the Reds are among the slickest movers in the market when it comes to sales. The departures of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold and Tyler Morton have raised around £200 million. Liverpool's bold strategy of tearing up a title-winning team is a risky and rare experiment. Only once, Manchester City in 2019, have the Premier League champions been the biggest spending English club in the market since 2007. After years of battling against the financial power of Abu Dhabi-backed City, Liverpool are now flexing their muscles thanks to years of commercial growth and prudent ownership. "It doesn't feel Liverpool-like to me," said former defender Jamie Carragher at the thought of a new £69 million striker Ekitike playing second fiddle to Isak. After decades in the doldrums prior to Klopp's arrival, Liverpool are aiming to bring back glory days the club has not since the 1980s. The last time Liverpool won back-to-back titles was in 1984 and doing so this season would come with the added bonus of overtaking Manchester United as English football's top dogs. To do so, Slot has recognised the need to strike the right balance that still harnesses the best from his side's extra firepower. A pre-season trend of high-scoring encounters continued in losing the Community Shield to Crystal Palace on penalties after twice blowing the lead. "Now we are better in creating and getting promising situations than we were, in my opinion, throughout the whole of last season," said Slot. "What made us really strong last season was we only won mostly by a margin of one goal and that had mostly to do with us keeping a clean sheet or as a maximum conceding one goal." Liverpool also have extra motivation to defend their title as they try to honour a lost friend and team-mate in Diogo Jota. The Portuguese international was killed aged just 28 alongside his brother after a car accident in northern Spain last month. Tributes to Jota will continue throughout the season with "Forever 20" -- his shirt number, which the club have now retired -- printed on Liverpool's jerseys. kca/nr
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rugby club 'delighted' after announcing new two-year kit deal
A rugby club in Carlisle has said that it is 'delighted' after announcing a new multi-year kit partnership with local car dealer. Creighton Rugby Club (RUFC) has announced that it has entered into a partnership with Wigton Road Car Sales. This partnership will see the club wear match kit, warm-up tops, and training gear bearing the Wigton Road Car Sales logo for the next two years, until 2027. (Image: Supplied) After the partnership was announced, Creighton RUFC chair John Rogers was on hand to express his delight. He said: "We are so grateful to Richard and his team for their support; we are an amateur sports club and all we want to do is provide the opportunity for men, women and children to join the rugby family. "But that comes at a cost and we rely to a great degree on partnerships like this."
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tributes paid to engineer who shaped growth of North East town
Tributes have been paid to a long-serving council officer who played a 'central role' in shaping a North East town's growth and modernisation. Terry Ratcliffe, who served as borough engineer for Middlesbrough from 1972 until the abolition of Cleveland County Council in 1996, died recently at the age of 87. During his career, Mr Ratcliffe helped deliver major projects including the development of Coulby Newham and Hemlington, new retail areas, and pollution reduction schemes for the River Tees. He was also responsible for two multistorey car parks, the construction of Middlesbrough Bus Station, and the town's cycleway system. Terry Ratcliffe (Image: Middlesbrough Council) Brian Glover, former head of transport and design at Middlesbrough Council, said: "Terry played an absolutely central role in all of these initiatives, offering his management and engineering expertise to all these projects. "He was an excellent chief officer and a very good boss who was well respected by staff and members alike, and he had a wicked sense of humour." A keen cyclist, Mr Ratcliffe often built his own bikes and championed the development of cycling infrastructure across the town. Mr Glover said: "Terry was rightly very proud of his beloved cycleway system throughout the borough which was very innovative for the day. "He was especially proud of the joint cycle and pedestrian crossing on Keith Road which was a national first and opened by the then transport minister." Mike Robinson, former chief executive of Middlesbrough Council and a fellow engineer, said: "My abiding memory of Terry is that he was totally unflappable and had a fantastic sense of humour. "He always greeted people with a smile, even when he was telling you off." Mr Ratcliffe is survived by his wife Judith, their son, and two daughters. READ MORE: Gin & cheese train with countryside views returns to Durham Dales this summer Durham restaurant offers set menu for parents during school holidays Public notice: A66 and A19 to close for overnight and weekend works A celebration of his life will be held at St Bede's Chapel in Teesside Crematorium at 11am on Thursday, August 14. Donations in lieu of flowers are requested for Cycling UK. A collection box will be available following the service, and donations can also be made online at www.
