If proposals for a high-speed rail network get the go-ahead the building of the first line to the West Midlands could start in 2015 and it looks possible that Birmingham could get two new multi-million pound railway stations.

The new high-sped rail line is expected to be built between London and the West Midlands with trains running at more than 200mph and would reduce journey times to less than 45 minutes.

The first station could be close to the city centre, probably in the under-developed Eastside area with a second one likely to be built close to Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre and so ensure easy access to the motorway network.

New Street station, which is due for a major £100 + million redevelopment scheme (see our story 15 November 2009 - £3.25bn to be invested in Britain's train stations), will not be suitable for the high-speed rail line but it would continue to serve normal speed services.

It is understood potential sites for the stations will be included in a report, due to be handed to transport ministers at the end of this month.

The report has been compiled by High Speed Two (HS2), a special company set up by the government earlier this year. Its sole aim is to plan the first line to the West Midlands, but it has also been advising ministers on options to go further north in the future.

Jim Steer, director of campaign group Greengauge 21, thinks there was a strong case for two stations and saying "We will have to see the report, but my guess is that it is pretty likely. There is a very strong case for a city centre station and equally I think they will find, as our work has found, there is a very good case for a station at perhaps Birmingham International Airport."

High-speed rail campaigners have maintained that having two stations in Birmingham would make "perfect sense".

In recent months there has been extensive discussions about exactly where a high-speed station for the West Midlands should be with some arguing that high-speed rail systems work best when lines go directly into city centres and others such as officials from the airport and NEC backing plans for an "interchange" station to be located there.

Paul Kehoe, chief executive of the airport, said: "We truly believe in an integrated transport solution and a station here with the NEC, the airport and the M42 is a fantastic location.

The report will be completed by the end of December but it is not clear when it will be officially published.

The government has said it is committed to launching a public consultation in 2010, however those plans will almost certainly be delayed by the general election.

It is hoped that despite the impending election, ministers will publish the report either in February or March.

High-speed rail plans have achieved cross-party support and it is expected that whichever party forms the next government, planning work will continue.

But there are already concerns about the impact a high-speed line could have on the communities through which it might pass.

The report is likely to put forward a number of proposed routes. And while the speculation about the routes continues, each of the areas which could be potentially disrupted could suffer problems where property values fall and houses become more difficult to sell.

Building a high-speed network will cost tens of billions of pounds, which is expected to come from a mixture of public and private sector sources.

Early estimates suggest construction of the first line to the West Midlands could start in 2015 with the line opening in the early 2020s.