After consulting lawyers Mrs Mingay, a Cambridge-educated economist who previously worked at city bank Goldman Sachs, abandoned her anonymity to issue a statement in which she said she did not have lead responsibility for the West Coast Main Line project.

BBC: West Coast Main Line: Civil servant Kate Mingay speaks out

Plans for the high speed project currently involve constructing a new line closer to Manchester than the existing West Coast Main Line.

BBC: Warrington Council urges HS2 plan re-think

The first project to be supported under the scheme, the Crossrail line linking east and west London, was announced in September.

BBC: CBI calls for 'industrial Olympics' to boost economy