Stop HS2 campaigners will carry out a long march from Birmingham to London to oppose the building of the new railway.

The high speed railway, which will see a new eight mile tunnel built near Maple Cross, was given the green light by Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this year.

But on June 20th, Stop HS2 campaigners and local communities along the HS2 route will march for a week to "oppose the building of the controversial train line that is decimating countryside communities".

The ‘Rebel Trail’ will start at Birmingham Curzon Street at 9am on Saturday and will travel 125 miles to London along phase 1 of the HS2 route.

Matthew Bishop, from the Save Cubbington Woods campaign, said: “We’re marching because we’ve had enough. We’ve had enough of our failing democracy, and enough of the continued harm being inflicted on our communities and natural environment. 

“That the Government has carried on with HS2 when we urgently need funding for our health service, our economic recovery and our local transport networks, makes clear where their priorities lie. Building this line is bad for our wildlife, bad for the taxpayer and an assault on our democratic values we hold so dear.”

Stop HS2 campaign manager Joe Rukin said: “Right from the start, HS2 has been a railway fuelled by lies, with grandiose and impossible promises made by those who will profit it."

In April, HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said the Government "cannot delay work on our long-term plan to level up the country".

HS2 could cost as much as £106 billion, according to an official Government review of the scheme.

When the go-ahead was given for HS2 earlier this year, Hertfordshire County Council welcomed the decision.

HS2 will not stop in the county, but the county council said there is an opportunity to create new train services on the existing main line for commuters using stations such as Watford Junction, Hemel Hempstead and Tring.

Derrick Ashley, cabinet member for growth, infrastructure, planning and the economy, said: “The go ahead for High Speed 2 is an important vote of confidence for the value of rail transport to the nation’s economy."