High speed rail must reach Scotland despite fears that the Government could drop a planned extension of HS2 across the border, campaign group Greengauge 21’s director Jim Steer has said.

 

Mr Steer made the comments ahead of the National High Speed Rail Conference in Glasgow on Thursday, where he is due to speak.

 

“The conference will discuss the future of high speed rail in an Anglo-Scottish context,” he said. “There is need for a three hour journey time from Edinburgh and Glasgow to London, and we need to make sure plans progress as rapidly as possible towards getting that.”

 

HS2 Ltd is currently working on a report which examines options to cut rail journey times between London and Edinburgh to three hours. “Then it will be over to Government ministers to put money behind that or not,” an HS2 Ltd spokesperson said.

 

Mr Steer said: “I think there is every chance we will see high speed rail extended into Scotland. It is something the Government said it wants to achieve and it makes a huge amount of sense.”

 

He pointed out that improving rail links between Edinburgh and Glasgow and the cities of northern England would support plans to create an economically strong ‘Northern Powerhouse’.

 

“No-one wants to be left out of being better connected, he added. “It is not all about London.”

 

The conference will also feature speakers including HS2 Ltd director Duncan Sutherland, Scottish Minister for Infrastructure, Investment and the Cities Keith Brown, and Transport for the North Partnership Board chair Richard Leese.

 

(Photo: HS2)