A Staffordshire Conservative MP has demanded that his constituents be allowed to see plans for a high speed rail line north of Birmingham after claims were made that it could devastate the countryside.

Outspoken Tory Bill Cash has urged the Government to come clean over its proposed route through Staffordshire, which includes his Stone constituency.

The Government, which is currently consulting on plans for the rail line from London to Birmingham has so far refused to publish the route the two northern spurs will take to link the capital with Manchester and Leeds .

Campaigners have drawn up their own map based on material from HS2 Ltd, the private company set up to build the case for the network, and information from the consultation document.

It shows the western branch of the Y shaped network passing close to Cannock Chase, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

But a second Staffordshire Conservative MP and the Department for Transport have said speculating about the path of the 225mph line was irresponsible and claimed that no final decision had been taken.

Mr Cash said the DfT should end confusion and publish its plans.

“I am gravely concerned about the uncertainty this has created for my constituents, in terms of the landscape and the value of properties and many other concerns,” he said.

“It is essential therefore that we are allowed to see the specific proposals before we go any further.”

A huge exercise is currently under way to gather public opinion on the £17 billion first phase of the route that would link London to Birmingham.

Several road shows have been held in areas along the line to allow homeowners to study detailed interactive maps and listen to the sound that could be created by the 400-metre long trains.