WHEN a Government minister called a meeting at the House of Commons between Central Railway and key figures in the regions, it sparked fears that there might be support for the £5.6 million freight railway plan in the corridors of power.

Indeed, Central Railway claimed that Richard Caborn, a minister in the Trade and Industry department, had in the past appeared to favour the scheme which would run through Bucks on a line carrying lorries by rail from Liverpool to LIsle with a terminus near the M40/M25 interchange. The plan has provoked a storm of criticism from campaigners in Bucks.

The Central Railway spokesman said of Mr Caborn: "He has in the past expressed to us that he is in favour, but as a member of the government he has not been allowed to say it in public."

Conservative MP David Lidington, who represents Aylesbury, has tabled two questions to Mr Caborn's boss, Stephen Byers, the Trade and Industry secretary, about the meeting, in which chairmen of the five regional assemblies in England were asked whether they were prepared to see a bill introduced into the Commons to speed up Central Railway's plans.

Mr Lidington said: "I am asking him [Stephen Byers] what contacts ministers have had with Central Railway this year and what consultations his department has had with the regional assemblies and regional development agencies.

"I want to know what is going on," said Mr Lidington, whose constituency covers the Princes Risborough area.

"Transport ministers have said, quite properly, that they can't express any opinion on this project. If Richard Caborn is now trying to give a nod and a wink from a different department, then it seems the government is speaking with a forked tongue."

The regional chairmen at the meeting were from south east England, the east and west midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside and the north west.

The leader of Buckinghamshire County Council, David Shakespeare, chairman of the South East England Regional Assembly was the only one to give the scheme the thumbs down.

Mr Caborn called the meeting in his capacity as a Sheffield MP. It was addressed by Central Railway chairman Andrew Gritten and chief executive Richard Beazley. They want the Government to introduce a Bill called a Hybrid Bill to get the scheme discussed in one fell swoop. A Bill under the Transport and Works Act would be more usual, but this would be followed by planning inquiries taking two or three years

Mr Shakespeare said it became apparent at the meeting that the American electro-technical engineering company Parsons, who would help build the freight line, didn't want to spend several years going through planning.

He said the minister seemed to support the scheme. "If the five regions could go to the Government and say 'we support this scheme enable it to happen the Government would pick up the ball and run with it."

But he said: "It was difficult to see what we get out of it, apart from noise, pollution and construction work.

"I said to the minister because of the environmental damage, I could not support it. The minister wasn't pleased to hear that.

"Mr Caborn said he wanted it to be unanimous, but there is an option for the Government to go ahead even if it is not."

Mr Shakespeare said one of the the things worrying people in South Buckinghamshire was the need for a big transfer station west of London which would be a magnet for lorries.

The deputy leader of Buckinghamshire County Council Bill Chapple, who is a member of SEERA's planning committee, said that while other regions would benefit because the line took freight off their roads, the south east, and especially Bucks, would not.

The Central Railway spokesman said the Hybrid Bill allowed consultation, because people could come along and give evidence at the committee stage, but it would not last as long as a public inquiry.

Mr Caborn said part of his responsibility for regional policy and a number of the regions have been asking about Central Railway and he suggested it would be better if they got together.