By John Kaponi

Theresa Villiers the shadow transport secretary and north London MP for Chipping Barnet has laid down the gauntlet with a revolutionary transport proposal that involves scrapping the need for a third runway at Heathrow and instead build a £20 billion TGV style high speed rail link between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

The current Labour government has announced that a third runway at Heathrow is a "done deal" with reports in The Times last week saying "the Government was determined to make the third runway happen, despite widespread opposition from the environmental lobby and the possibility of an independent review delaying the project."

Speaking to The Guardian Theresa Villiers the shadow transport confirmed that:

"This is a seriously green decision. A few years ago it would have been inconceivable for the leader of the Conservative party to say no to a third runway and putting the brakes on Heathrow expansion."

The proposals by the Conservative party have already been welcomed by Greenpeace saying in The Guardian:

"The Conservatives have recognised that decisions taken now on high carbon projects like new runways and coal-fired power stations will make or break our chances of tackling climate change in the future."

Ruth Kelly the Transport Secretary has resigned her post following speculation that she would be the victim of the Brown reshuffle, Villiers was also rumoured to be the target of a reshuffle, but sources close to the Conservative hierarchy have confirmed Villiers "currency has been boosted and she is safe".

The proposals will be announced today at conference were Villiers will outline the costs at £15.6bn between 2015 and 2027 (£1.3bn a year for 12 years) to build the new high speed rail link from London St Pancras to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. A further £4.4bn would be paid by the private sector.

In the new rail links travel between London Birmingham would only take 45 minutes instead of the 80 minutes it takes now.