EUROPE - A new high-speed rail line between UK capital London and second largest city Birmingham has been given the thumbs-up from the government.
Secretary of transport Justine Greening is backing the 100-mile link and first phase of High Speed Two, which will cut the journey time from London, home to exhibition venue Excel London, and Birmingham, home to the NEC Birmingham exhibition centre, to 50 minutes.
The first phase of the scheme, which the government believes will address overcrowding issues, will cost £17bn (US$26.2) and be completed by 2026. The 225mph trains are expected to alleviate pressure on existing routes between London and the Midlands.
Legal action by opponents and environmentalists, who fear the schemes will come at a high cost to the UK's countryside, is expected to delay the scheme. However Greening is working on measures aimed at mitigating the negative impact of the new line.
The complete cost of the project, including the 2033 second phase links to northern cities Manchester and Leeds, is expected to be £32bn.
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