PARISH councils have welcomed comments from transport secretary Grant Shapps stating the ‘writing is on the wall’ for the HS2 Golborne spur.

Earlier this month, Mr Shapps said the Government expects to make a final decision over the proposed link between Warrington and Wigan in months, not years.

He added the spur is currently projected to cost between £2 and £3 billion but delivers ‘very little’ for that sum.

In an open letter to him, Croft Parish Council, Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council, and Warburton Parish Council, said it welcomes the confirmation that the controversial part of the route will be reviewed.

They said: “It was originally intended to allow HS2 trains from London and Birmingham to join the West Coast Main Line and continue to Glasgow.

“However, now that HS2 plans already include a junction with the West Coast Main Line at Crewe, the Golborne spur has been rendered superfluous.

“A major element of the Golborne spur is the massive viaduct required to carry the line some 30m high over the Manchester Ship Canal from the rural village of Warburton on one side to the village of Hollins Green on the other.

“Warburton will lose much valuable agricultural land and the village will be split in two by the line; in the village of Hollins Green the viaduct will tower over the houses and other buildings and completely dominate the skyline.”

The HS2 project was approved by Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this month.

But the parish councils, on behalf of their communities, hope the letter will ensure senior figures in Westminster take ‘speedy action’ and remove the spur from the scheme.

They added: “In addition to its absurdly low financial benefit, the Golborne spur will be driven through or close to many communities, heritage locations, high grade agricultural land and ecologically important sites, causing a huge amount of damage and permanent destruction with no discernible benefit.

“In contrast, an upgrade of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe and Golborne would incur similar or lower costs to the Golborne spur, but provide up to five times the capacity increase.”