The Government has welcomed a think tank report saying high-speed rail offers huge improvements in public transport.
The Independent Transport Commission says high speed rail "can be the cornerstone for a step change in the integration and improvement of regional infrastructure."
It says key findings in the report, Ambitions and Opportunities: Understanding the Spatial Effects of High Speed Rail, include:
• Excellent integration of transport systems with high-speed rail can lead to improvements in the quality of public transport across all modes
• Long-term planning will enable cities and city-regions to capture and shape positive changes through incremental improvements
• Collaboration between central and local government, as well as between the developers and local citizens and civic groups, is essential
The report was welcomed by transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin. In a joint statement with High Speed Two (HS2) Limited he said it would be 'a valuable source of information and inspiration.'