Hopes over high-speed railway line

Rail bosses are to look at the possibility of building a new high-speed main line to run alongside the West Coast line through the Midlands.

The line would be one of five new high-speed main lines as part of a review of the network’s future, Network Rail said today. 

Network Rail said it was to commission a study which would look into the feasibility of new lines along the UK’s busiest routes in what would amount to the largest track build since the 19th century. 

The review, which will be announced on Monday, will also assess the need for high speed trains similar to the French TGV to cope with Britain’s growing number of rail users. 

Over the last decade, the network has seen passenger numbers increase by about 40 per cent. Numbers are expected to swell by a further 30 per cent in the next ten years.