Bullet Train plans should go to Brussels says MEP

4.00.00pm GMT Tue 6th Jan 2009

Wolverhampton's MEP Liz Lynne

Wolverhampton Liberal Democrat Euro MP Liz Lynne has said that plans floated by Transport Minster Lord Adonis for a possible high speed rail line between London and Birmingham should focus on plugging the region into the existing Eurostar link to the continent.

Lord Adonis has suggested that a 200 mph train line, similar to the bullet trains in Japan could be used to connect Birmingham to London by 2015.

Liz Lynne has been a long time supporter of high speed rail links from the West Midlands, which would provide a great boost to business in the Black Country.

Speaking today, Liberal Democrat MEP said that as well as a high speed service to the capital, any new link must plug the West Midlands into the continent's high speed train network via the new Eurostar line to the Channel Tunnel, opened last year.

Liz said "For years the Black Country has been denied a world class public transport system. We need to be connected to the rest of Europe in order to encourage business, investment and trade.

"That is why linking Wolverhampton and Birmingham to the Channel Tunnel using high speed rail is so important. Imagine being able to get on a train at Wolverhampton and be in the centre of Paris or Brussels within three hours, quicker than air travel and far less carbon intensive.

"A link targeting short distance air travel would also free up capacity at Birmingham Airport for long distance routes and remove the need for a third runway at Heathrow.

"I am pleased that ministers have finally realised the value of high speed rail, but it is vital that any new link is not just a London - Birmingham shuttle but gives our region access not just to London, but to the rest of Europe as well. The link should also be extended northwards to Stoke and the North West to free up the congested West Coast main line.

"With the Conservatives also recently U turning and claiming to support a new high speed line, perhaps at last there can be some concrete progress on making this plan happen. It would transform our transport system and be a massive boost to our economy to offset the impact of recession, as well as help the environment.

"We have been waiting long enough - when I was first elected as MEP back in 1999 they even put a Eurostar service in the timetable from Wolverhampton to Brussels, but it never ran, because the existing line is too slow."

The Paris to Brussels High Speed THALYS service is now so successful that there are no scheduled air services between the two cities. Eurostar already carries over half the total traffic from London to Paris to Brussels, with a huge increase in market share since the new high speed line to St Pancras opened last year.