The UK Department of Transport expects the £33bn High Speed Two (HS2) project may increase fibre optic broadband in the country.
The project involves a new high speed rail link between the midlands and northern England, and the Government is currently developing plans for fibre optic cables to be run alongside the new track.
UK transport minister Simon Burns was quoted by the Telegraph as saying that, "HS2 is far more than a new railway line – it is a national infrastructure project that will bring places and people closer together while creating jobs and driving growth."
"Construction of HS2 gives us the perfect opportunity to explore how we can make it easier for even more people to benefit from ultra-fast broadband – and potentially deliver improvements to the provision of other utility services, including water and electricity," Burns said.
Burns said that the route was being designed to allow a "broadband superhighway" to be built without any intrusion to the landscape.
The first phase of the project, which runs from Euston to Birmingham, is expected to open in 2026, while the second phase is anticipated to be completed in further six years.
Earlier this month, a report from the Policy Exchange revealed that the UK government should discontinue subsidies for broadband infrastructure once current commitments are reached in 2015.
