Tories backing high-speed rail link from Birmingham to Europe

Sep 28 2008 By Jonathan Walker, Political Editor

A Conservative government would approve a new high-speed rail line linking Birmingham with Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels, and cutting journey times to London by 35 minutes.

The major transport announcement will be made on Monday at the party conference in the International Convention Centre, Birmingham.

Tories set out their economic reconstruction plan on Sunday, including plans for an independent body to monitor state spending, and a beefed-up role for the Bank of England in overseeing the financial sector.

David Cameron’s party will continue debating the economy on Monday, as well as setting out their plans for the NHS.

The proposed high-speed rail link could dramatically transform Britain’s transport network. The Conservatives will also come out firmly against a third runway at Heathrow, arguing that improved rail services would reduce demand for air travel to the continent.

The aim would be to link Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham with St Pancras, the London station used for Eurostar channel tunnel services.

Conservatives have previously committed themselves to examining the feasibility of a high-speed line, but the new announcement moves a dramatic step forward by committing the party to pressing ahead with the project immediately on taking office. The aim is to begin construction by 2015.

The Government has not ruled out a high-speed rail link and is currently still considering whether it is an option worth pursuing. Alternative proposals being considered by the Department for Transport include expanding the M6 motorway or re-opening an existing, disused rail line.

A Conservative government would contribute £1.3 billion annually to the cost of construction, between 2015 and 2027, which the party would meet from existing capital spending on rail.

Fuller details of the funding plans will be published at a later date, but Labour is likely to accuse the Conservatives of making an unfunded spending commitment the country is unable to afford.However, Conservatives accuse Labour of “dithering” over transport by failing to make a decision about high-speed rail.

Andrew Mitchell (Con Sutton Coldfield), the Shadow Minister for Birmingham, said: “Given the economic, social, and environmental advantages of high-speed rail, it would be a missed opportunity to spend nearly as much on a second standard-speed line that would deliver far fewer benefits and would earn lower franchise fees for the taxpayer.”

A range of rail industry figures have warned that the West Coast Main Line is set to run out of capacity, as demand for rail services increases.

Speaking to the Transport Select Committee last year, Tony Collins, chief executive of Virgin Trains, claimed Ministers did not understand how urgent the problem was.

The Government was predicting that overcrowding would become a serious problem on the West Coast Main Line in 2014 but Virgin believed passengers numbers were growing so quickly that it would be an issue by 2011, he said.

According to the Conservatives, their proposed high-speed link would cut the journey time between London and Birmingham from 80 minutes to 45 minutes.

Travelling between Manchester and London would take 80 minutes, compared to 125 minutes today.

By freeing up capacity on the West Coast Main Line, it would also mean existing services were less crowded and allow for the creation of new routes.

And it would be environmentally-friendly, as it could replace thousands of flights each year which would otherwise be needed.

Rail operators would be expected to help fund the line through franchise fees, but would be expected to make “healthy returns” on services.

The announcement is certain to add fuel to controversy over Birmingham’s rail infrastructure. Proponents of a new railway station in the city, such as the planned new “Grand Central” station, have cited the prospect of a new high-speed line as one reason why New Street station is not up to the job, even following the planned refurbishment.

In a separate high-profile announcement, Shadow Schools Minister Michael Gove will reveal plans to match ex-servicemen with vulnerable children to provide positive role models for teenagers.

Bursaries of £9,000 will be offered to graduate ex-servicemen who want to go through teacher training, and all ex-servicemen who have seen active service will be offered free university tuition.

Mr Gove will say: “The young men and women serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are the heroes of our time – their sacrifices in the cause of freedom make them the greatest of our generation – and they deserve the thanks of all of us.”