OPPONENTS of the planned HS2 line, which would cut through parts of Trafford, have hit out at plans to appoint a ‘Minister for HS2’.

HS2 plans would also see a new station built at Manchester Airport before the line terminates in central Manchester.

But Richard Houghton of HS2 opposition group HS2 Action Alliance, said: "The only thing high speed about a Minister for HS2 would be the pace at which his or her career would be shunted into the political sidings when it became apparent that unscheduled costs were building with all the momentum of a runaway train.

"HS2 is out of control. Being Minister for HS2 would be the most dangerous job in politics: in charge of a project with every sign of going to two or three times the original budget, responsible for wrecking families and generating property blight, and promoting a fast track for business, talent and jobs lost to London from the regions.

"This would be a Ministry without compassion. There is immense public ill-feeling amongst the growing number of commuters standing on draughty rattlers into London and Britain's other major cities - none of whom HS2 would help - and homeowners losing immense chunks of value from their properties.

“Recent independent surveys show that 52 per cent of Britons are against HS2, while only 30 per cent support it.

"As a transport project, HS2 is on political life support. A Ministry for HS2 would break every rule of austerity and fiscal common-sense that the Chancellor has been harping on about."