Dear Supporters,

The Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has stated that the Peak Cluster Project has “become a political football” for “campaigners who are opposed to net zero”. 

https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/25924230.mayor-says-co2-pipeline-become-political-football/

The vast majority of those who are opposed to the Peak Cluster are not opposed to net zero, per se. Most of those raising concerns completely understand the need for climate action and recognise the urgency of decarbonising heavy industry. 

The objection is to the use of public money to subsidise fossil fuel companies while allowing them to continue generating profits without delivering meaningful decarbonisation of the cement industry.

Subsidies which allow them, and other heavy polluters from around the world, to continue doing what they have always done. i.e making vast profits whilst not actually decarbonising, just hiding the problem under the sea. This is just a massive “green-washing” scam. 

The mayor goes on to state “That is why the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, that I lead as Mayor, invested into Glass Futures in St Helens for example – to look at solutions for the decarbonisation of energy intensive industries”. 

https://www.glass-futures.org/

It can be argued that the investment in Glass Futures was a welcome investment. It is an investment in cleaner smarter more sustainable construction materials looking to decarbonise at source, building circular supply chains not just burying the problem under the sea for future generations to deal with.

What the Mayor doesn’t mention is the Liverpool City Region’s £250,000 grant to Stanlow Terminals Limited, Spirit Energy, and Progressive Energy to transform Tranmere Terminal and Stanlow Manufacturing Complex in the Liverpool City Region into a major carbon capture and storage (CCS) hub. 

https://lbndaily.co.uk/essar-reveals-plans-for-co2-terminal-at-birkenhead/

Spirit Energy own the Morecambe Bay Gas Fields and are a partner in the Peak Cluster Pipeline Project, as are Progressive Energy. This new hub, based at Essar’s Tranmere oil terminal, would offer storage for captured CO2 from other industrial facilities that would arrive by ship from all over the world. 

The CO2 would then be transported via a “new pipeline” to be stored in depleted gas fields under Morecambe Bay. It is not clear which “new pipeline” would transport the CO2, but the Peak Cluster “Connection AGIs” (Above Ground Installations) proposed near Williston and Backford will have the provision for “future carbon capture plants to connect to the (Peak Cluster) pipeline”.

Therefore, it is logical to conclude, that it is highly likely that the Wirral is going to be used as a waste pipe for dumping CO2 from heavy industry from all over the world under the sea in the Morecambe Bay gas fields. 

The Wirral Globe article goes on to explain “Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have no direct input in the government-backed private scheme” yet the LCR Combined Authority IS providing grants to the very companies involved with peak cluster and to the projects which are likely to link up to it.

By this association, it is clear that the Liverpool City Region, and Steve Rotheram, ARE supporting peak cluster and these CCS projects.

Taxpayers should not be asked to underwrite projects that risk locking in continued fossil fuel use while offering uncertain climate benefits. There are credible alternatives that focus on genuinely reducing emissions, accelerating the transition to low-carbon materials, and investing in cleaner production methods rather than extending the life of carbon-intensive infrastructure.

If Mr Rotheram thinks that Peak Cluster has become a “political football” then he needs to understand that the majority of Wirral Residents and the entire Wirral Council (from every political persuasion) have sided with the same opposing Team. 

Some like to blame previous Governments. But this current Government is now the referee and he needs to persuade them to blow the whistle, pick up the ball and stop this whole ludicrous game! 

Please write to Steve Rotheram and let him know what you think:

mayor@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk.

Thank you for your support.