Morning:
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Plans for a high-speed railway from London to Birmingham via Heathrow are being drawn up on the basis that the Tories will block a third runway if they win the general election.
High Speed Two, the company designing a north-south route, is working on a business model that features a Heathrow station but does not factor in a new runway. The plan reflects Tory policy to block expansion.
High Speed Two chairman Sir David Rowlands said: "Our ambition is to produce a report that is useful to the government before and after the election. We are modelling Heathrow with and without a third runway, so that it is equally useful to either kind of government."
The news came as major disruption was forecast for holidaymakers heading for Stansted Airport early tomorrow. Rail bosses have been forced to cancel services because of a 48-hour strike over pay and conditions by RMT and Aslef workers which ends today.
Train stock is out of place resulting in the rail company affected by the action, National Express East Anglia, having to cancel dozens of early morning services including seven between Liverpool Street and the airport.
Commuters suffered again today as the strike crippled NXEA services to and from Liverpool Street. Routes between Stansted Airport, Southend Victoria, Colchester and Norwich were reduced to just one train an hour.
Reader views (6)
France doesn’t have that many domestic routes, and they’re doing well thanks to train.
Planes pollute a lot. Low-cost carriers are not profitable to the UK regions: they gain subsidies from them (tax payers money) and are not environmental friendly.
- Bolton, London, UK
Of course the Tories will get in and cancel the ludicrous third runway. I hope Labour will not have committed too much of our money before the cancellation.
- Michael, Kensington, UK
Heathrow to Birmingham could have made good use of the Maidenhead to High Wycombe line that got pulled up a few decades back. If only successive governments had had the foresight to at least save the rail rights-of-way, using them for instance as walking paths. But no. How many B&Qs and Sainsburys you run smack into when retracing old rail routes near the edges of towns. Most of the rail rights-of-way in the countryside are still extent, but at the edges of towns the land has all been sold and the rights-of-way are gone.
- Phil Jones, London UK
Did I read that headline right? "Fast rail link plan in case Tories get in". Presumably, that´s so Labour can make a quick get-away!
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
I tried to bet 10 000 at the bookies that a third runway would go ahead whoever come to rule,no odds given,as it is a known fact this was agreed years ago,so get used to it.
- David, london
I can understand the need for a high speed rail link out of Birmingham but what use would one going in be?
- Bob, Cheam
