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20 December 2010
Last updated at 12:35 ET
The planned route of the high-speed rail line from London to Birmingham has been altered after protests about its impact on homes and the countryside.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed the government broadly agreed with the chosen HS2 rail route.
But he said 50% of the preferred route published in March had been amended.
He said there would be compensation for those whose homes had to be destroyed to create the line and also for those whose homes were set to lose value.
The rail link proposals were announced by the last government in March and the coalition has been examining the plans.
Trains would travel at more than 200mph, cutting journey times between the cities by about 30 minutes.
Conservative concerns Mr Hammond insisted the scheme would help tackle the north-south divide by slashing travelling times to and from the capital.
He said the planned route had been altered to deal with serious concerns about its impact on local communities and countryside.
In a statement to the Commons, he said: "I am confident that solutions have now been found which can significantly mitigate the impacts of the railway at local level which, when properly understood, will reassure many of those who have been understandably apprehensive about the potential impact on their lives and their property values.
"But despite our best efforts at mitigation, we will not be able to avoid all impacts on property values.
"I have asked my officials to prepare a range of options for a scheme to assist those whose properties would not be required for the construction of the railway, but who would nonetheless see a significant diminution of value as a result of the construction of the line."
Tory heartlands A number of Conservative MPs have expressed concerns about the rail link, which passes through Tory heartlands, including the Chesham and Amersham constituency of Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan.
Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle said Mr Hammond was likely to face more opposition from within his own party than from Labour MPs.
"I suspect that he's got more support on this side of the House than on the benches behind him," she said.
"No doubt he'll find out in due course if he's done enough today to persuade the Secretary of State for Wales not to resign in protest at his plans."
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Transport Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed the government broadly agreed with the chosen HS2 rail route.
But he said 50% of the preferred route published in March had been amended.
He said there would be compensation for those whose homes had to be destroyed to create the line and also for those whose homes were set to lose value.
The rail link proposals were announced by the last government in March and the coalition has been examining the plans.
Trains would travel at more than 200mph, cutting journey times between the cities by about 30 minutes.
Conservative concerns Mr Hammond insisted the scheme would help tackle the north-south divide by slashing travelling times to and from the capital.
He said the planned route had been altered to deal with serious concerns about its impact on local communities and countryside.
In a statement to the Commons, he said: "I am confident that solutions have now been found which can significantly mitigate the impacts of the railway at local level which, when properly understood, will reassure many of those who have been understandably apprehensive about the potential impact on their lives and their property values.
"But despite our best efforts at mitigation, we will not be able to avoid all impacts on property values.
"I have asked my officials to prepare a range of options for a scheme to assist those whose properties would not be required for the construction of the railway, but who would nonetheless see a significant diminution of value as a result of the construction of the line."
Tory heartlands A number of Conservative MPs have expressed concerns about the rail link, which passes through Tory heartlands, including the Chesham and Amersham constituency of Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan.
Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle said Mr Hammond was likely to face more opposition from within his own party than from Labour MPs.
"I suspect that he's got more support on this side of the House than on the benches behind him," she said.
"No doubt he'll find out in due course if he's done enough today to persuade the Secretary of State for Wales not to resign in protest at his plans."
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