High speed rail tickets will cost as little as £20

Sep 17 2010 by Edward Chadwick, Birmingham Mail

JOURNEYS between Birmingham and London on the planned high-speed rail route could cost as little as £20 each way, a report has claimed.

The study dismisses fears that the 250mph trains will be the preserve of wealthy commuters working in the capital.

It was written by Greengauge 21, the independent company set up to develop the concept for a new rail network in the UK.

Consultants say that tickets for the 1,000 capacity trains will be no more expensive than trips on current services when they start running as early as 2023.

The report has been welcomed by the Geoff Inskip, the chief executive of regional transport body Centro, who said that it was essential that high speed rail was affordable for all.

Greengauge 21 claim that pricing models on high speed rail systems in Europe could be replicated in the UK and offer a huge range of discounts.