A MACCLESFIELD to Paris high-speed rail link could be planned for within five years.

Eurostar, who have just spent £5.8billion on a new service from Kent to the continent, have said they won’t cater for anything north of London unless there is a high-speed track.

The laying of tracks is in the hands of the Department of Transport (DoT) who have increasing capacity as their priority until 2014 – but that could change in five years’ time.

A DoT spokesman said: "We want to make use of what we have got and increase the length of trains and reduce bottlenecks and, until 2014, that’s what we will be spending our money on.

"In five years’ time there is another long term strategy decision to be made, but for the minute we are not looking at a high-speed line."

The timescale usually suggested for the arrival of the Eurostar is in the 2030s, but this is not good enough according to county councillors.

Coun Rod Fletcher said: "While the new Eurostar services and shorter journey times from St Pancras to Paris and Brussels are welcome, past promises of better access to the continent from the North West have not materialised and I fear may not come to fruition for another 25 years.

"At a time when everyone is under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, some train services from the North West must be integrated with Eurostar services to and from St Pancras to help combat cheap, low-cost airline services."