The HS2 high-speed rail project was set to clear a major parliamentary hurdle last night despite vociferous opposition from a sizeable group of Tory backbenchers.

Government ministers were relying on official Labour backing to help give the High Speed Rail Bill a second reading.

Outraged Tories from the shires led Commons opposition, but a small number of Labour MPs also protested against the projected new link from London to Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.

Holborn and St Pancras Labour MP Frank Dobson warned of huge disruption in the London Borough of Camden.

Other Labour opponents included left MP Kelvin Hopkins, who signed a cross-party amendment questioning the economic viability of the project and complaining that it would “cause widespread disruption to many areas of the country.”

Former Tory party vice chairman Michael Fabricant put down an amendment complaining that HS2 would not connect directly with existing major mainline stations.

Shadow transport minister Mary Creagh expressed Labour’s support for a new north-south rail link, but warned that the government must get a grip on costs, which have soared to £50 billion.

Rail union RMT is backing the HS2 project, while also urging more investment right across Britain’s “creaking” rail network.

RMT is demanding that HS2 should be built, owned and operated in the public sector.

Construction work on phase one, from London to Birmingham, is due to start in 2017.

HS2 chairman David Higgins last month suggested an acceleration of the project — linking to Leeds and Manchester by 2030.