CAMPAIGNERS' hopes to stop HS2 are fading after a Network Rail review said two alternative routes would deliver “considerably fewer benefits than a new line.”

Network Rail was asked by the Government to review two proposals produced by consultants for 51M and the Department of Transport.

The routes were put forward as alternatives to the government’s proposed High Speed 2, which would run from London to the West Midlands and then extended further north to Manchester, the East Midlands and Yorkshire.

But the review said the alternative routes, which suggested longer trains and additional services, would not provide sufficient capacity to meet forecast demand and would negatively impact on route performance.

Residents in Buckinghamshire and beyond have campaigned tirelessly against the high speed rail route over fears it will ruin areas of outstanding natural beauty.

The Stop HS2 Campaign said the HS2 proposal is not just impractical from a noise and disruption perspective but that it also fails to make good business, economic or environmental sense.

It has been reported that the transport secretary, Justine Greening, will make a decision next week.

But a DfT spokesman said they can only reiterate what the transport secretary said last month- that she will announce her decisions on HS2 to Parliament in January.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Alternative schemes to HS2 have been put forward which would deliver some short-term capacity benefits, but they would come at a heavy price in terms of disruption to passengers and the wider economy.

“They also leave many other issues unresolved and in some cases would result in stations with severely reduced services or no service at all. Critically, none of the alternatives would solve the most pressing capacity constraint at the south end of the West Coast Main Line, leaving commuters unable to board packed trains at the busiest times of day.

”It is clear that relying indefinitely on incremental growth on the existing route is no longer a viable option. HS2 will not only transform travel between our major cities, it also represents the best solution for solving the looming capacity crunch on the West Coast Main Line.”