Theresa Villiers welcomes high speed rail report

Network Rail has today published research that shows the massive potential benefits that high speed rail could deliver.

"As the Party that has championed high speed rail", Theresa Villiers, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, said, "we welcome Network Rail's report".

She added that it "provides further evidence that we need to take high speed rail to the north. Unlike Labour, our high speed rail ambitions go north of Birmingham and we call on the Government to match our commitment".

Villiers said the report also highlighted the potential high speed rail has for picking up some of the journeys that would otherwise be taken by air. She stressed the "importance of linking up Heathrow to the new network, if we are to encourage people to make greener transport choices".