RAIL users in Wilmslow are becoming increasingly fearful that the town will lose its direct service to London.

Residents are concerned that the existing Virgin Trains west coast mainline service from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston via east Cheshire will stop running as a result of HS2.

The Department for Transport revealed its preferred route for the second phase of HS2 on Tuesday, November 15, which will run from Birmingham to Manchester.

The route will follow the existing west coast mainline from Birmingham to Crewe, before joining a new line from Crewe to Manchester which will run through Ashley and Manchester Airport.

Following the announcement, readers have commented that the town is now likely to lose its London service as a result of HS2.

Gemma Hudson wrote on Facebook: “That’s the end of Virgin trains from Wilmslow to London then! Won’t have two stations so close to each other.”

Graham Dellow is from Mid-Cheshire Against HS2, which has discussed its concerns with representatives from HS2 during public consultation days.

“We visited Wilmslow to campaign against HS2, and we have been told that services which stop at Wilmslow, Stockport or Macclesfield will be reduced,” he told the Guardian.

“We are not quite sure how many services will be cut, but we believe the service will be reduced by 50 per cent.

“We did hear that Wilmslow could lose all of its services though.”

A spokesman from the Department for Transport told the Guardian that it is yet to confirm any details at this stage, but that HS2 would improve rail services for residents in Wilmslow.

He said: “HS2 is an ambitious and exciting project and the Government is seizing the opportunity it offers to build a transport network fit for the 21st century.

“It is too early to confirm the service patterns for these HS2 services as they will need to take account of the latest information on demand, and capability of the existing network.”