Plans for the £3bn HS2 'Golborne Link', which would have connected the Crewe to Manchester line to the west coast mainline, are to be scrapped by the government.
Transport minister Andrew Stephenson confirmed the 13-mile stretch would be removed from the High-Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill after second reading.
Construction was due to start in the early 2030s and it was expected to open in the late 2030s or early 2040s as part of the second stage of HS2 services to Scotland. The track would have left the HS2 route between Crewe to Manchester, cut through Trafford before joining the West Coast Main Line south of Wigan.
