Osama Saeed, SNP candidate for Glasgow Central, has slammed the UK government announcement on High Speed Rail which has omitted Glasgow.

Transport minister Lord Adonis today announced detailed plans for an HSR line from London to Birmingham with the intention of a “Y shaped” network with one branch to Manchester and the other serving Leeds and Sheffield.

Saeed commented on the announcement: "Lord Adonis has announced a 335 mile high speed rail network around English cities today. All that would be needed for it to come to Glasgow was a straight line of 400 miles. Additionally, the UK government plan is going to cost £30bn – just £4bn less than what it would take to come to serve both Glasgow and Edinburgh.

"That was from Network Rail’s plan from last year which would have gone up the west coast including Manchester. However, there was pressure from Yorkshire for HSR to come through there, and what the UK government have announced today keeps them both happy – at the expense of Scotland.

"The environmental benefits of HSR will only be felt by the line coming to Scotland – it will reduce and maybe even cut out domestic flights. Despite lip service that the UKG have given about HSR to Scotland, they have once again shown themselves to be holding Glasgow and Scotland back and putting us at a disadvantage to areas of England.

"HSR is vital to boosting Glasgow’s economy and attracting jobs, investment and tourism. The city’s slow coach Labour MPs have let us down badly. None of them have spoken up on this issue. This is why it’s vital they are replaced by the SNP at this general election. Glasgow needs champions."