THE NEW coalition government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a High Speed rail network in Britain, by including plans for a draft Bill in the Queen's Speech at today's ceremonial opening of Parliament.

The speech was crowded, including plans for no fewer than 22 Bills.

However, this total does not include the proposal for a draft High Speed rail measure, which is to be introduced ‘in due course’.

All three main parties had supported domestic High Speed rail lines in principle before the General Election, although some of the details were different. In particular, the Labour government did not favour building a High Speed station within Heathrow Airport, arguing that there was no obvious single site among the widely dispersed terminals.

The Conservatives did not agree, and indeed the new transport secretary Philip Hammond has already mentioned linking Heathrow to the new line from London to the West Midlands, which has been dubbed HS2.

Today, Her Majesty told Lords and MPs that her government would ‘enable the construction of a high-speed network’, although no details of routes or a legislative timetable were given. It has already been expected that construction would not begin before 2015 at the earliest.

The government will give further attention to how HS2 could be linked to the existing HS1 300 km/h route between London and the Channel Tunnel, and will also introduce commercial regulation of airports.

High Speed rail connecting London and Scotland via the major cities of the Midlands and Northern England is now generally accepted to be the most effective way of reducing domestic short-haul flights in the longer term, and also relieving the trunk road and motorway networks as part of the move towards a low-carbon economy.

ATOC has welcomed the High Speed plan. Chief Executive Michael Roberts said: “The commitment that the Government has shown to High Speed confirms rail as central to the future success of the British economy. High Speed rail has the potential to alter radically the way that people travel between main cities.

“The plans must be affordable at a time of real constraint in the public finances, and show how High Speed rail will be paid for while continuing to invest in the existing network. To keep the cost down for the taxpayer, we need to make the most of the private sector in delivering and operating High Speed.

“Ministers should draw on the considerable knowledge and experience of train companies in making sure High Speed rail meets the needs of passengers and businesses.”

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