MPs’ plea for high speed rail support

Edinburgh Labour MPs Sheila Gilmore, Mark Lazarowicz and Ian Murray have called on residents to show their support for high speed rail.

There have been suggestions that the Government was set to make a U-turn on its commitment to build the line, blaming a lacking of enthusiasm from those it was designed to serve.

Under the current plans an initial line from London to the West Midlands will be up and running by 2026. This will be  extended to Leeds and Manchester by 2033-34. Trains will travel at speeds of up to 225mph. Trains would then continue up to Edinburgh and Glasgow at conventional speeds. Once the second phase is complete, the Edinburgh to London journey will be cut by an hour to three hours and 30 minutes.

Ms Gilmore, Edinburgh East MP, said: “Passengers in Scotland support high speed rail because of the journey time savings and the economic benefits it will bring.”

Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mr Lazarowicz said it would be a “disaster” if the project was dropped, while Edinburgh South MP Mr Murray called on Capital residents to show their support for the line.