▁slower ▁route ▁when ▁the ▁Manchester ▁Met rol ink ▁tr ams ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁C LC ▁direct ▁line ▁between ▁Al tr inch am ▁and ▁Manchester , ▁with ▁the ▁heavy ▁rail ▁service ▁being ▁re - rout ed ▁via ▁Stock port ▁to ▁Manchester ▁Pic c ad illy . ▁ ▁Currently ▁there ▁is ▁an ▁hour ly ▁service ▁to ▁Al tr inch am , ▁Stock port ▁and ▁Manchester ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁North wich ▁and ▁Ch ester ▁to ▁the ▁south - west , ▁with ▁extra ▁trains ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁Stock port ▁at ▁peak ▁times ▁on ▁week days . ▁On ▁Sund ays ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁service ▁every ▁two ▁hours ▁to ▁Ch ester ▁and ▁a ▁service ▁every ▁two ▁hours ▁to ▁South port ▁via ▁Manchester , ▁Bol ton ▁and ▁W igan . ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁week day ▁peak ▁trains ▁to ▁Manchester ▁was ▁controvers ial ly ▁cut ▁back ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁to ▁allow ▁Virgin ▁Tra ins ▁West ▁Coast ▁to ▁run ▁extra ▁services ▁between ▁Manchester ▁and ▁London . ▁ ▁By ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁( delay ed ▁from ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 7 ), ▁Kn uts ford ▁is ▁expected ▁to ▁have ▁half - hour ly ▁train ▁services ▁to ▁North wich ▁and ▁Manchester ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁except ▁on ▁Sund ays ▁when ▁services ▁will ▁be ▁hour ly . ▁ ▁Bus ▁ ▁Since ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁bus ▁service ▁cut back s , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ' s ▁a uster ity ▁program , ▁has ▁left ▁Kn uts ford ▁with ▁just ▁one ▁regular