Government starts high-speed rail consultation
3 March 2011
The government has launched its consultation on the proposed high-speed rail line from London to Birmingham.
The route would cut journey times to about 50 minutes, with work due to begin in 2015 if the plan is approved. However, there are opponents to the High Speed Line (HS2) who argue that the £17bn scheme will be a waste of money and that updating the existing West Coast mainline would be a better investment.
Nevertheless, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said the high-speed line (HS2) would mean a £44bn boost for the UK economy.
The HS2 - which is planned to be extended to Manchester and Leeds and will cost a total of £32bn and is a "once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the way we travel in the 21st Century".
For more on this story see Government starts high-speed rail consultation