Government mulls UK high speed rail network

Transport minister Lord Adonis yesterday confirmed reports that the government was giving serious consideration to proposals for a new high speed rail network that could be built alongside an expanded Heathrow, slashing rail journey times to Northern Europe and the rest of the UK.

The plans, which have been drawn up by engineering consultancy Arup, would see new 200mph rail lines built linking the existing channel tunnel rail link with new high speed lines heading north to Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Scotland, and West to Bristol.

The new lines would centre on a new 12 platform rail hub at Heathrow, allowing travellers to easily reach the airport by car and also cutting rail journey times to the continent. A trip from Birmingham to Paris for example would be almost three hours quicker than it is now.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Lord Adonis said the proposals were "an attractive idea", adding that "it is vital that we have an integrated approach to planning new rail capacity and any new airport capacity that's also required".

Hinting strongly that the government was considering pressing ahead with the plan at the same time as giving the green light to the controversial third runway at Heathrow, Adonis said that it made "good sense to plan improvements to Heathrow and the rail system together".

He also said that the government was considering plans for a new network of stations along key existing rail routes, designed to encourage more drivers to ditch their cars in favour of the train, for at least part of their journeys.

The proposals are likely to appeal to the cabinet, as they would create jobs and provide a green gloss to Gordon Brown's economic stimulus package, while also deflecting some of the environmental criticism it will inevitably receive if, as widely expected, approval is granted later this month to plans for a third runway at Heathrow.

The proposed rail upgrades are likely to garner a mixed response from environmentalists who have long called for a high speed rail network and improvements to commuter services, but are adamant that any expansion to Heathrow will seriously damage the UK's environmental credentials.

The Tories were also quick to accuse the government of appropriating its plans for a high speed rail network. Theresa Villiers, the shadow transport secretary, told The Sunday Times that a new rail hub at Heathrow would be welcome, but "should be an alternative to a third runway, not a sweetener for it".