A CONSORTIUM involving the Virgin Group has won a contract to build a high speed rail link between London and the Channel Tunnel, the British government said yesterday.

The announcement followed months of tortuous negotiations between Department of Transport officials and London and Continental Railways, the consortium that includes Virgin and British bus company National Express.

Work is now expected to begin next year on the 68 mile line The project, for which the contract was to have been awarded at the end of last year, will cost £2.7 billion sterling band will cut 30 minutes from the London to Paris or Brussels journey when completed in 2002.