£32bn high-speed rail line gets green light
A new high-speed rail network between London and Birmingham has been given the go-ahead by the government.
It is claimed the whole project will cost £32bn and deliver benefits worth £47bn. The new HS2 project will cut journeys between the two cities from the current time of one hour and 24 minutes to just 49 minutes.
The first phase of High Speed Two (HS2) could be running by 2026, later extending to northern England. This would be followed by a second phase of Y-shaped track reaching Manchester and Leeds by about 2033.
In a statement the Transport Secretary Justine Greening has called the line "the most significant transport infrastructure project since the building of the motorways".
"By following in the footsteps of the 19th Century railway pioneers, the government is signalling its commitment to providing 21st Century infrastructure and connections - laying the groundwork for long-term, sustainable economic growth," she said.
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