A major Bill to legislate for the building of the controversial High Speed 2 rail link has been formally presented to Parliament.
The High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill was given its formal first reading by MPs in a very brief appearance where a Commons clerk read out the title of the Bill.
Bills are not debated at first reading. A key debate and vote on the principle of the legislation will be held in the coming months.
If passed, the Bill will enable the building of the first phase of HS2, which is projected to cost £42.6 billion, plus £7.5bn for the trains.
The first phase, to be completed by 2026, of the contentious plan comprises a high-speed line running from London through Tory heartlands in the Chilterns to Birmingham.
A second phase, to be completed by 2032/33, envisages a Y-shaped extension of the line, taking it from Birmingham to north west and north east England. The second phase will eventually need further legislation.
The Bill is to be examined using rare "Hybrid Bill" procedures because as well as introducing general law, it would have legal effect on particular people. This means those affected by its impact will have a chance to petition against the Bill and be heard by a select committee of MPs.
Earlier, campaigners had converged on the Westminster Parliament from all over England as part of the continued lobby of peers and MPs by the Stop HS2 campaign.
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