According to a new report, the high speed rail link project to connect the British capital, London and the north of England might have an impact on some plant species.

The report said that the project might result in some plant species becoming endangered in the area while on the other hand it is likely to offer only a small emission savings. The report from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee said that the authorities will have to adopt better safeguards in order to address the issues relating to the environmental impact of the proposed HS2 link project.

Business leaders in the UK have asked the government to consider shelving the £50 billion HS2 high-speed rail project claiming that the project is not required for the business scenario. The Public Accounts Committee said the Department for Transport has not been able to make a convincing case. The Institute of Directors (IoD) have asked the ministers to abandon the project, which it described as the "grand folly".

The Institute of Economic Affairs have warned that the project could see its cost rise by £80 billion. The government has said that the cost of line could not rise further and the CBI has said that investors and taxpayers wanted to know that there is a substantial business case for the project.

The authorities have been urged to ensure that ancient woodlands and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are protected from the impact of the rail link project.