HS2 is not arriving in the borough after all after the Prime Minister confirmed he is axeing the route between Birmingham and Manchester.

Rishi Sunak confirmed the change in his speech to the Conservative Party conference in the city centre on Wednesday (October 4).

The route between Birmingham and Manchester, which was under consideration by a Select Committee, ran through the borough between Hale Barns and the M56 with a station over ancient woodland next to the airport.

Mr Sunak confirmed the use of current tracks rather than new tracks between the two cities with the savings spent on rail infrastructure and road infrastructure in the North and the Midlands, something he called "Network North".

Mr Sunak said: "I am ending this saga. I am cancelling the rest of HS2 and in its place, we will reinvest every penny, £36 billion, in hundreds of projects in the North and the Midlands and across the country.

"This means £36 billion of investment in hundreds of projects which will make a difference across our nation."

Messenger Newspapers: Andy Burnham

Sir Graham Brady MP told The Messenger "HS2 was always the wrong priority for the North".

The MP, who is to stand down at the next election, campaigned against a link to the West Coast Main Line which was axed last year and against the location of the station over ancient woodland next to the airport which was in his constituency.

Sir Graham said: "HS2 was always the wrong priority for the North. Our link to London is already good and journeys will be reduced by 30 minutes under 'Network North'.

"The fact all the money saved by scrapping this leg will be spent on infrastructure in the North and the Midlands means we will see the benefits to local transport sooner."

However metro mayor Andy Burnham said: “There is a difference between a transport plan patched together in hotel rooms at a party conference with no input from northern leaders or mayors and a transport plan worked on for years by northern leaders and mayors with Transport for the North.

"We haven’t got a plan here which works north-south or east-west.”

And Trafford Council leader Tom Ross said: "I find it unbelievable of the Prime Minister to abandon the commitment his government made to deliver HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester.

"Again we find ourselves being let down by this government as it turns its back on the North of England time after time." 

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.