High-speed rail: London-Birmingham in 50 minutes

Domestic flights are to be replaced by a high-speed rail network under new plans announced by the government.

Ministers said the 250mph trains, which are at least a decade away, will have clear environmental benefits.

The network will cut journey times from London-Birmingham by 40%, from 85 minutes to under 50 minutes.

However, green groups warned that ticket prices must be kept low if domestic travellers are to be weaned off their addition to flights.

Transport experts, meanwhile, branded the proposals “wishful thinking” and said a maximum 50% of domestic flights could be replaced by high-speed rail.

Lord Adonis, Transport Minister, said replacing short-haul flights with high speed rail is “manifestly in the public interest”.

“But we would have to have, of course, the high-speed network before we can do it,” he added.

The Department of Transport expects passengers will naturally migrate to rail once the network is installed, as they have where high speed rail is already in place, such as London-Paris and London-Manchester.

WWF Scotland, however, said for this to happen ticket prices on the new network must be affordable.

“Airlines are terribly clever in presenting cheap prices, but rail has not done that,” said WWF Scotland director Richard Dixon.

“The success of the high-speed Madrid-Seville link in Spain is partly a result of its pricing policy, with affordable tickets that help to keep demand high.

“With much of our current transport policy at odds with commitments to deliver drastic cuts in climate pollution moving people from planes to trains can be part of developing a more sustainable transport system.”

Transport consultant firm Colin Buchanan said it is “difficult” to see more than 50% of flights transferring to rail, “even in the very long term”.

“The debate on the benefits of high-speed rail needs to be grounded in reality rather than wishful thinking,” said John Siraut, economist at Colin Buchanan.

The full route of the network is yet to be decided. Installing high speed rail from London-Glasgow would cost an estimated £29 billion.