Ministers raise hopes in campaign for high-speed rail link to London

MPs from the region are to meet Transport Minister Theresa Villiers to push the case for the Government to adopt the proposals backed by Labour before the election, which would see two lines branching north from Birmingham, one of which would pass through Sheffield and Leeds.

Despite David Cameron recently insisting he was still "championing" the Tory manifesto proposal – which would see an initial line from London to Birmingham, Manchester then Leeds – the Yorkshire Post has learned Ministers are keeping an open mind and seriously considering Labour's alternative, although it would have to include a link to Heathrow as well.

Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland, who is backing this newspaper's Fast Track to Yorkshire campaign, is also hoping the coalition's approach will mean an alternative High Speed North plan drawn up by Harrogate engineer Colin Eliff will be reconsidered after warning MPs that going via Manchester "simply doesn't make sense".

In a Westminster debate yesterday, Ms Villiers insisted that the Government's ambition was to create a national 250mph network, and said it was "vital" that included stops in Manchester and Yorkshire, although it will be constructed in phases.

She promised decisions "in due course" over routes.