THREE MPs have joined forces to press the new Government over proposals for the high speed rail link.

In March the then Secretary of State for Transport Lord Adonis announced that the Government plans to build a new High Speed 2 line reducing journey times between London and Birmingham and on to Scotland.

The new line is expected to cost over £15.8bn and is set to use the track route of the former Great Central Railway line passing by Finmere and Mixbury, near Bicester.

But as the new Conservative Liberal Democrat coalition Government start work local MPs have questioned if the line will go ahead.

North Oxfordshire MP Tony Baldry, John Bercow, Buckingham MP and speaker of the House of Commons, and Andrea Leadsom, MP for the new South Northants constituency, have formed a plan of action which includes meeting ministers and encouraging action groups that are dotted along the proposed route to join up.

Mr Baldry and Mrs Leadson hope to have talks with Theresa Villiers, minister of state for transport, and Mr Bercow will call on Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for transport, to visit Buckingham.

Mr Baldry said: “We met on how best to take forward constituents’ concerns about the High Speed Railway.

“We need to know whether this project is a reality or whether it was in fact hype by the previous Government to get a good press in Birmingham and the West Midlands, especially given it’s quite clear from the last chief secretary Liam Byrne, and I quote, ‘I’m afraid there’s no money’.

“It seems to me the Government has got to make it very clear, very early, whether it is proceeding with the project or not.

“A considerable amount of property will be blighted and the Government is responsible for that blight.

“The important priority is to discover whether or not this is a viable project and if it’s going to move forward or if it was just a pre-election aspiration.”

The move has been welcomed by Finmere resident Mike Kerford-Byrnes, who is also chairman of the parish council.

He said: “That’s great news, the fact they have all got together and are encouraging campaign groups to join up.

“I think they will be tapping into a rich seam as between the two parliaments there has been considerable activity amongst groups along the line with considerable co-operation.”