A “CREDIBLE” plan, including financing proposals, for a new high-speed rail line between London, Heathrow Airport and the West Midlands is expected before the end of 2009, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced.

Decisions on whether to electrify the Midland and Great Western main lines will also be made before the end of the year, he said.

Mr Hoon’s statement came as part of a comprehensive announcement on transport infrastructure, including confirmation that the British government is supporting plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Hoon said: “We need to do more than just improve Heathrow to ensure that Britain's economy can cope with the transport demands of the 21st century.”

Among other measures he announced the creation of a new company — High Speed 2 — “to help consider the case” for new high-speed rail services between London and Scotland.

It is tasked initially with developing a proposal for an entirely new line between London and the West Midlands, he said, and could link to Heathrow and Crossrail through a new international interchange station, the Heathrow Hub. 


Mr Hoon said: “A new rail line between London and the West Midlands approaching London via a Heathrow International interchange would enable faster journeys to the North and Scotland and could link the airport with rail destinations throughout the UK.  This would unlock Heathrow for the rest of the country, making it a truly national asset.

“I expect to receive advice from High Speed 2 by the end of the year on a credible plan for a new line with financing proposals.

"We also need to look at ways of making the railway more efficient and greener. The case for electrification on the Great Western and the Midland Mainline routes appears strong as electric trains are quicker, quieter and they emit less CO2.”  He said decisions on electrification would be made later this year.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said the formation of the company High Speed 2 will build on Network Rail's study of options for new lines and the formation last October of the National Networks Strategy Group chaired by Transport Minister Andrew (Lord) Adonis.

The DfT confirmed Network Rail's work “has pointed to a strong case for a new line from London at least to the West Midlands” which would both improve connectivity and increase capacity on the existing West Coast Main Line, which is forecast to become overcrowded by about 2025.

The new High Speed 2 company will be chaired on an interim basis by Sir David Rowlands, who until 2007 was Permanent Secretary at the Transport Department. Earlier in his career at the Department he led the team which advised Ministers on the preferred route for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (High Speed 1).

DfT also said it has been examining jointly with Network Rail the case for further rail electrification.

“This can have advantages on busy parts of the network, given the lower carbon emissions and better performance of electric trains.

“A decision on electrification of the most heavily used parts of the Great Western mainline from Paddington and the Midland mainline north of Bedford will be announced later this year, alongside decisions on the deployment of the new inter city express trains,” said the Department.

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