British government unveils plan for high-speed rail line linking London and northern England

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Britain\'s Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, center, talks to workers during a tour of the train wheel manufacturers Lucchini UK, at Trafford Park, Manchester, England, Monday Jan. 28, 2013. The British government on Monday unveiled details of new high-speed rail lines linking London to cities in northern England with trains traveling up to 225 miles an hour (360 kph). The government says the project, known as High Speed 2, will be the first new railway built north of London for more than a century, and will be an economic and environmental boon. But opponents claim the plan is too expensive and will ruin tracts of picturesque countryside. (AP Photo/PA, Christopher Furlong) UNITED KINGDOM OUT NO SALES NO ARCHIVE

LONDON – Britain has announced details of new high-speed rail lines linking London to northern England with trains travelling up to 225 miles an hour (360 kph).

The government says the High Speed 2 project will be the first new railway built north of London for more than a century, and will be an economic and environmental boon. But opponents claims it will ruin tracts of picturesque countryside.

The first 140-mile (225-kilometre) stretch of the line, announced last year, will link London to Birmingham, England’s second-largest city.

The Y-shaped section announced Monday will extend to the northern cities of Manchester and Leeds.

Officials say the 32.7 billion pounds ($51 billion) project will create at least 100,000 jobs and cut journey times almost in half.

It is due to be completed by 2032.

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