Ministers are prepared for a revolt over the planned £32bn High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project, which is due to be approved this week.
Opposition groups have questioned the business case for the line, first stage of which will run from London to Birmingham, contesting government traffic forecasts that the existing intercity rail network will start to run out of capacity by 2025.
They also claim it is carbon neutral rather than a project that involves environmental benefits.
One such group, ‘51m’, comprises 18 local authorities near the proposed route. LocalGov.co.uk sister title The MJ has been told several of these authorities are preparing legal cases to appeal for a judicial review of Ms Greening’s decision should it go against them.
However, a government-commissioned report by Network Rail warned alternatives to HS2 proposed by the 51m group - such as expanding capacity on other lines by extending trains and platforms - would not ‘generate the capacity’ necessary for the future.
A Network Rail spokesman said: ‘The capacity case for a new high-speed line is clear.’
‘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.’
Construction of the line between London and Birmingham could begin in 2016, with extensions to Manchester and Yorkshire likely to be completed by 2033.
