High-speed rail may not attract media contractors

Many motorists are uncertain over whether or not they would use a high-speed rail link over their car, an AA poll shows.

Trips made on high-speed rail services may not appear on contractor travel expenses, as results of a survey show that speed is not the only factor affecting people's transport decisions.

Only a third of those polled by the AA said they would use high-speed rail for a journey usually made by car, while 34 per cent would not and 33 per cent said they did not know.

Two-thirds of respondents noted that their primary concern is over the cost of tickets for using the service, with those on lower incomes less inclined to get on board the trains.

Edmund King, AA president, commented: "It appears that perhaps the main raison d'etre of high-speed rail - speed - seems pretty irrelevant to most drivers."

He noted that many people would rather see a cheaper, more reliable service, which would be more likely to encourage them to leave their cars at home in favour of public transport.