The government has published its consultation on the next phase of its planned high speed rail network.
HS2 is 140 miles long and connects London and the West Midlands, Manchester and Leeds, also linking to HS1, which connects London and the Channel Tunnel.
Critics of the plans have said that it will blot the landscape, particularly in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. However, supporters hope that the move, which will cost around £32 billion, will significantly reduce the number of short-haul flights taken to and from UK cities.
Indeed, it is expected that the network will divert six million flights and nine million road trips.
Transport secretary Philip Hammond commented: “High speed rail offers us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the way we travel in the 21st century and would help us build a modern economy fit for the future.”
However, Richard Hebditch, campaign director of the Campaign for Better Transport, suggested that while high speed rail could “provide greener choices for long-distance travel”, a green alternative could also be to electrify more of the UK’s rail network.
Posted by Mark Stephens
Find out more about travel planning
For more information please see: Department for Transport consultation