Government presented a Hybrid Bill for the High Speed 2 rail project to Parliament on Monday. The Bill will give Government the powers to construct and operate Phase One of the railway from London to the West Midlands, subject to Royal Assent.

Construction of the line is expected to begin in 2016 and services are set to begin running 10 years later.

Publication of the Bill gives those affected by the proposed line the opportunity to petition Parliament and have their case heard by a committee of MPs.

Monday also saw the Government publishing an Environmental Statement for Phase One of High Speed 2, setting out the likely environmental impacts of the project. Around 23% of the line will be in tunnels and 32% lowered into the ground with cuttings.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "The Bill will give us the powers we need to get the railway built and start delivering the extra room on our railways that this country so desperately needs."

Confederation of British Industry's chief policy director Katja Hall added: "This Bill is a key milestone in delivering an important piece of national infrastructure investment. We urge politicians on both sides of the House to back this project."

The Transport Secretary was asked by the Transport Select Committee yesterday whether he had fully considered making use of the Great Central Line in developing the route of HS2.

Mr McLoughlin replied that the Great Central Line was considered but would not serve the UK's northern cities as well as the proposed HS2 route.

(Photo: HS2)

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