A regional daily has launched a campaign to lobby government for a new high-speed rail link between its patch and the capital.

The Yorkshire Post’s Fast Track to Yorkshire campaign believes such a 200mph rail link could boost the economy to the tune of £10bn.

The Johnston Press daily has called in the help of local MPs, business leaders and transport experts to give the campaign as a high a profile as possible.

Leeds North West MP Greg Hulholland has tabled an early day motion which the Post hopes all 45 of Yorkshire’s MPs who are eligible to sign it will do so.

Editor Peter Charlton said: “We’re campaigning for a new high-speed line linking Yorkshire directly with London.

“It is vital we do not play second fiddle to other regions, like the North West.

“Communications with London are vital and a line to Yorkshire should be a priority in any new high-speed network to protect inward investment into the region and keep Yorkshire economically competitive.”

The Government is due to build a high-speed link between London and Birmingham with a quango called ‘High Speed Two’ investigating options for extending the links further north.

The Post says that documents released after a Freedom of Information request show plans recommend building extensions to Manchester and Glasgow but only building a spur south-east of Birmingham up to Sheffield, Leeds and York.