FOUR Liverpool MPs have written to the Liverpool Daily Post urging the government to approve plans for a high-speed rail link to London.

The group have called for construction to begin immediately on HS2, which they say will alleviate congestion and help encourage regional growth and job creation.

The signatories include shadow transport minister and MP for Garston and HalewoodMaria Eagle, MP for Liverpool and Walton Steve Rotheram, MP for Liverpool West Derby Stephen Twigg and MP for Liverpool Wavertree Luciana Berger.

The letter says: “In the wake of the 2007 financial crisis, the regions have been hit with stubbornly high unemployment and sluggish economic growth – particularly in comparison to London and the South East.

“Economic studies show that effective modes of transport, including high-speed rail, enable entrepreneurs to get their goods and services to market in a secure and timely manner and facilitate the movement of workers to the most suitable jobs.

“HS2 will therefore help to address the imbalances in our national economy and encourage regional growth and job creation.”

The call comes in the month when the Government is expected to make an announcement on the findings of the HS2 consultation, which closed on July 29 2011.

A decision on the project has been delayed as Transport Secretary Justine Greening weighs up the benefits of boring a £500m tunnel through the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire to minimise the impact on the landscape.

The HS2 proposals have proved controversial among MPs whose constituencies straddle the planned route, including Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan, who has reportedly threatened to resign over the issue.

The decision to look again at the route followed a report by the Commons transport committee in November, which advised a revisitation of the impact and benefits of HS2.

The 100-mile rail link, due to be built between 2016 and 2026, aims to cut the London to Birmingham journey time to 49 minutes.

The £32bn HS2 project will bring 250mph trains from London to Birmingham, then on to Manchester and Leeds.

Under the plans, high-speed trains would slow to normal speeds outside Liverpool, but London-Liverpool journey times would still be reduced from 2hrs 10mins to 1hr 37mins.

The benefits are still a long way off, however. The initial London-Birmingham link is hoped to be completed by 2026, and Phase Two of the project – the link to Manchester – will not be finished until 2032-33.

David Cameron has argued that HS2 is evidence of his Government's commitment to reviving the North – although some academics believe it may widen the North-South divide.