Cheshire East Council is set to be allocated over £180 million in improving local transport following the cancellation of HS2, the government has announced.

From 2025, the Local Transport Fund (LTF) will fund a wide range of projects to improve the local transport connections people rely on every day, particularly across towns, villages, and rural areas.

Over a seven-year period, Cheshire East will be allocated £180,716,000, with nearby Cheshire West and Chester given £168,399,000.

The funding covers the period 2025 to 2026 until 2031 to 2032 and will be used in line with the three priorities the government has set out to:

• Drive better connectivity within our towns, suburbs and cities
• Drive better connectivity between our towns and cities
• Improve everyday local journeys for people

From 2025, the Local Transport Fund (LTF) will fund a wide range of projects to improve the local transport connections people rely on every day, particularly across towns, villages, and rural areas (Macclesfield Nub News).

This funding is additional to the previously announced highways maintenance funding allocations and bus service improvement plans from government.

A Cheshire East Council spokesperson told Nub News: "We note the announcement this week from Government that Cheshire East has been allocated £180m of funding through the Local Transport Fund.

"This is to be spent on improving local transport infrastructure and services over the next seven years from April 2025.

"While the total amount of funding has been allocated, we are still awaiting further information from the Department for Transport on the scope and delivery requirements of the fund.

The government's three main prorities 'are to drive better connectivity within towns, suburbs and cities, drive better connectivity between towns and cities and Improve everyday local journeys for people'. (Nub News)

"Until we have this, we are not yet able to share any specific details about how we plan to utilise the funding.

"However, the funding we receive will be used in line with the long-term plans and ambitions set out in the council's adopted Local Transport Plan, which will be refreshed shortly."

So what this means for Macclesfield will remain on pause until further information is revealed.

Macclesfield MP David Rutley however, has weighed in with his views.

David Rutley MP. (Image - CC 3.0 Chris McAndrew Flipped bit.ly/3GzdIoW)

Commenting on the announcement, David said "This is positive news for Macclesfield and our local area. Through this new funding, we will see more investment in local transport networks, which local residents rely on every day.

"This additional funding will make a real difference to our local transport infrastructure that is also critical to our local economy. I am committed to working with Government Ministers, Cheshire East Council and local residents to get the best outcomes from this new transport funding."