The ‘crown jewels of the rail network’, a high speed rail line from London to the channel Tunnel went on sale. The Unions darned the verdict by the desperate ConDems to flog the 186mph route.

The nation's only high-speed line will be sold to the utmost bidder by the autumn and is estimated to raise more than £1.5billion. The collection will however, not go to the transport; instead it will be given to the Treasury to help diminish the national debt.

"Not content with slashing jobs and pay, this Government wants to sell the crown jewels of the rail network. We have the clearest indication that they will flog every public asset that's worth a few quid. They’re committed to cuts and privatization in the tradition of Margaret Thatcher”, Bob Crow, General Secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said.

Especially, when the taxpayers spent £5billion building High Speed One, they should not be selling the family silver so fast, said Tssa rail union leader, Gerry Doherty.

A concession would be won by the successful bidder to run the 68-mile line for 30 years. It goes from London's St Pancras to Folkestone in Kent, where it enters the Channel Tunnel and is used by Eurostar services.

Reducing the national debt was good news for the taxpayer, remarked Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, while launching the sale.

He added that the Government at a standstill wanted to link the line with the planned £34billion high-speed course from London to Scotland.