Tories propose £20bn railway instead of Heathrow extension

A third runway at Heathrow would be scrapped by the Tories who want a £20bn high speed rail line built instead.

The proposed line would link London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds and be the first new rail line built north of London in more than a century.

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers will announce a Tory government would spend £15.6bn between 2015 and 2027 to construct the line, which could cut flights from Heathrow by 66,000 a year.

Travel times on the line would be slashed, with London to Birmingham taking 45 minutes instead of 80 minutes, London to Manchester 80 minutes not 125 minutes, London to Leeds taking 97 minutes not 125 minutes, reported the Guardian.