A Cheshire MP has welcomed news that the northern leg of HS2 could be scrapped to save cash.

Esther McVey, Conservative MP for Tatton, claimed the controversial high speed rail project was 'sucking the life out of our local transport' in the north of England.

Her stance places her at odds with many other Northern politicians, particularly Labour Metro Mayors Stever Rotheram and Andy Burnham, who claimed any move to axe the route would be a 'disaster' and 'turn the North/South divide into a chasm'.

The project was due to be built in three phases, with the first from London to the Midlands, the second from Midlands to Crewe and the third from Crewe to Manchester – the last of which was due to pass through areas of Cheshire West and Chester.

But speculation is rife that the Prime Minister and Chancellor want to scrap all sections of the project north of Birmingham.

And Ms McVey - a longstanding opponent of the project - told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that 'we certainly don’t' need the high speed rail project to go to Manchester.

She said: “Thank goodness that the Prime Minister is looking at HS2’s spiralling costs, because what might have been feasible at £37 billion really is not at £120 billion going northwards.

“Things have significantly changed since lockdown. People will now sooner jump on a Zoom to save time and money. So it’s the right thing to do and yes, stop it as soon as possible."

She added: "The Prime Minister is saying that money, £120 billion plus for High Speed 2, would go into the local infrastructure across the North, connecting the great cities of the North from Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, connecting all of those up, as well as giving better local transport, because HS2 is sucking the money and the life out of our local transport.”

The Cheshire West section is proposed to head north from Walley’s Green, passing Middlewich, before crossing the Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. It would continue north towards Lostock Gralam before continuing into the Pickmere to Agden and Hulseheath area.

Cheshire West and Chester Council deputy leader Karen Shore previously told the LDRS the authority was supportive of the scheme 'in principle', but had not been given any further information from the government about whether its plans had changed.