Written question asked by Adrian Sanders (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 28 January 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 2 February 2009. It was answered by Paul Clark (Labour) on Wednesday, 4 February 2009 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Railways: Scotland

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of (a) demand for a high-speed rail link between London and Scotland and (b) the effect of such a rail link on levels of demand for domestic flights.

Answer: A new company, High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd. has been formed to develop the case for high speed services between London and ScotlandAs a first stage, the company is expected to bring forward proposals for Britain's second new high speed line, between London and the West Midlands, by the end of the year, and to consider the potential for new lines to serve the North of England and Scotland.The company will need to assess the likely environmental impact and business case of different routes—including the propensity for modal shift from road, air, and conventional rail.

Secondary information