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The government has delayed its decision on whether to build a new high-speed rail line between London and Birmingham until January, it has been revealed.
Transport secretary Justine Greening is reported to be considering investing £500 million to build a 1.5-mile tunnel under the Chiltern Hills in order to minimise the impact on the area's landscape.
The 100-mile HS2 rail line, which is due to be built between 2016 and 2026, promises to cut the current London-to-Birmingham journey time to 49 minutes.
Ms Greening was due to give a decision on the rail link before Christmas but the delay will allow a feasibility study on the £32 billion scheme to be carried out, as well as analysis of its environmental impact.
Shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said: "By accepting that the current proposals on the table are not right, the government has opened up a real opportunity to get this vital project right.
"It's a welcome start but ministers should now go further, stop being dogmatic and use this pause to finally take up our offer to work together on a long-term strategy for both high-speed rail and aviation."
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