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Wirral's four MPs give joint statement on Peak Cluster pipeline

The statement came after a Labour MP in Cheshire publicly came out against the carbon dioxide pipeline.

Peak Cluster route map by Peak Cluster company.
Wirral's four MPs released a statement on the Peak Cluster pipeline, but not included their opinions. Photo: Peak Cluster.

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Wirral's four MPs have issued a joint statement on the controversial Peak Cluster carbon dioxide pipeline, but have not said openly whether they support or oppose it.

Some of the MPs have expressed their individual views, just not collectively.

Angela Eagle, Alison McGovern, Justin Madders and Matthew Patrick were asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service to set out their views, after Macclesfield's Labour MP Tim Roca publicly came out against the scheme.

The pipeline would carry carbon dioxide from lime and cement works in Derbyshire and Staffordshire to be stored under the Irish Sea, with a proposed route running the length of the Wirral peninsula.

Mr Roca said in a statement: "I do not support the Peak Cluster pipeline proposals. Too many questions remain unanswered about the impact on our communities and countryside, public safety and particularly the financial case for the scheme."

He added that his constituents "are entitled to know where I stand".

In their joint response, the Wirral MPs said: "We have extensively engaged with our constituents on this issue. We have also made representations to Peak Cluster on their behalf (which we update constituents on via email, social media and surgery appointments)."

They added: "We are working hard on behalf of our constituents and we are lucky to have constituents with deep knowledge and passion on this and other issues."

Mr Patrick confirmed the validity of the joint statement to Wirral Today, and on September 24, published his own statement on his position of the Peak Cluster pipeline.

Mr Patrick has previously said he was "hugely disappointed" that the plans remained largely the same after the route was revised. He called for an "urgent revision" of the route, and spoke of the environmental and wildlife threats posed by Peak Cluster.

Wirral Council has repeatedly opposed the scheme on a cross-party basis and last month unanimously rejected Peak Cluster's request to access council land for surveys.

Peak Cluster is due to consult on the changes to the Wirral section of the route in January.

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