The prospect of direct high speed trains from northern England to continental Europe has been ruled out by government.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin confirmed that the proposed HS2 rail route would not be linked to the Eurostar train line to the Channel Tunnel.
The confirmation follows a report by HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins last week which said a link from the planned HS2 terminus at Euston to neighbouring St Pancras where Eurostar leaves would be too expensive.
Work on the HS2 high speed line from London to Birmingham and to Manchester and Leeds has not yet started.
McLoughlin said a link to the Eurostar service which runs on HS1 from St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel would “require too many compromises”.
The link would have cost an estimated £700 million. The cost of the total project is currently estimated at £42.6 billion, the BBC reported
McLouglin said Sir David’s idea of speeding up construction of HS2 to Crewe was a welcome one and would be “looked at in detail, as would the idea of an extensive upgrade of Euston station”.
He admitted earlier this month that legislation needed to build the high-speed rail project would not become law before the next general election in 2015.