HS2 Ltd is not a limited company in the true sense of the word. HS2 Ltd is the Department for Transport in disguise.

The Government could abort this white elephant and instead concentrate funding on vital areas such as the NHS, social care and mental health.

These services provide the care to millions, whilst HS2 will never be able to offer a comparable level of service.

If the Government ignores us and goes ahead, the only viable choice would appear to be the M6 route, running parallel with the motorway from just north of Keele Services to a point between junctions 18 and 19 then running to the east of Knutsford and west of Mobberley then in a straight line to Manchester Airport.

This would shorten the line by several kilometres and at a cost of £1.375m per kilometre that’s some saving.

Oh I forgot, the second option cannot happen because it would upset too many of George Osborne’s constituents, hence the so called ‘Tatton Bend’ avoiding Knutsford.

Ewen Simpson Cheshire