UK gov't to set out plans for new HSR network

Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis received a round of applause when he briefed the cabinet on the plans on Tuesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman told reporters.

“This is obviously a proposed major new investment in the high-speed rail network, details clearly will be unveiled by the Secretary of State on Thursday,” the spokesman added.

“It is clear that most European countries are ahead of us in terms of their high-speed networks,” he added, citing Spain as an example.

Brown, who faces an election by June and is seeking to nurture a fragile economic recovery, described the plan as one of the big national ideas.

Britain only has 68 miles of high-speed rail, linking London to the Channel Tunnel under the sea to France.

A 200 mph route would cut journey times to the north of Britain by half to just over two hours but would take many years to build and require billion of pounds of state investment.

Adonis will announce the plans on Thursday. He is expected to outline details of the government's proposed route from London to Birmingham, along with options for extending the fast rail link to Scotland.

A change of government could curtail the plans, particularly at a time when large cuts are required in public expenditure to bring down a record budget deficit.

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