THE preferred route for the first section of High Speed 2 is due to be announced today. The transport secretary has confirmed his support for the project, partly because the West Coast Main Line is expected to run out of capacity by the early 2020s.

He has also criticised opponents who he said had provided some ‘complete misinformation’.

The plans have been the subject of protests from many people, particularly those living along the likely route through the Chilterns and Warwickshire.

There have been conflicting claims about the business case, which have been further confused by the fact that the future network has now been extended to Leeds and Manchester.

The transport secretary Philip Hammond told the BBC: “Most people objecting to it are those living along its route, but it’s a strategic investment in Britain’s future.

“We need to up our game to maintain our standard of living and prosperity. Construction will not begin until 2016 and it’s not just about high speed, it’s also about capacity. We will be out of capacity on the West Coast Main Line by the early 2020s.”

However, he added that the route has been altered following warnings about its effect on the countryside.

He said many parts of the line would be constructed in cuttings, and there would be some ‘minor deviations’ avoiding particularly important and sensitive sites.

Mr Hammond went on: “I believe there is some complete misinformation out there about the extent of the impact of the railway and when people understand precisely what is being proposed, I think many of them will realise that the impact will be far less than they have been led to believe.”