Study on 225mph north-south rail link to overtake Europe
By Paul Marston, Transport Correspondent

TENTATIVE plans for a 225mph inter-city train service carrying passengers from London to Newcastle inside two hours were put forward by the Government's chief rail advisers yesterday.

 The Strategic Rail Authority announced that it was commissioning a detailed study into the feasibility of a new north-south route that, it claimed, would be "the fastest railway in Europe". At present, five Continental countries have trains capable of between 160 and 186mph. France has more than 1,000 miles of 186mph track. Britain's fastest routes run at 125mph.

 The authority said a purpose-built "greenfield" railway could mean passengers from London reaching Manchester or Leeds in 90 minutes, Newcastle in two hours or Edinburgh in less than three, reducing journey times by about a third. It would be up to the study authors to consider the best route and likely destinations. Their report is due early next year.

 Officials said planning, funding and design requirements would mean that "more than a decade" would elapse before any new route could be opened. By then, it is likely that speeds of 220mph or more will be commonplace on parts of the French network.

 The authority said a new link would not be "simply a relief line" for the London-Edinburgh east coast route. There was a need to press on with the planned upgrade of the existing route to achieve more modest improvements in journey-times and capacity.

 Some rail executives took these remarks as an indication that the authority has recommended that the franchise for future London-Edinburgh services should be awarded to GNER, the incumbent operator, rather than Virgin.

 GNER has proposed gradual increases in frequencies and speed on the current line, while Virgin has put forward a more ambitious scheme for 120 miles of new railway between Peterborough and North Yorkshire for the exclusive use of 210mph expresses. The authority's recommendation is being considered by ministers. 

Sir Alastair Morton, authority chairman, said the launch of a feasibility study showed his organisation's determination to construct a long-term strategy. He said: "Britain got into this mess by under-investment. We must get out of it through the £60 billion public-private investment envisaged in the Government's plan for the next 10 years."