Business Voice WM welcomed the Queen's Speech go-ahead for high speed rail.

But it warned that proper compensation should be paid for those farms and rural enterprises disadvantaged by the project.

BVWM executive director James Watkins said: "The business community across the West Midlands region supports a high speed rail line between London and Birmingham and onwards towards Glasgow and Edinburgh. This scheme would be the largest civil engineering project for the West Midlands since Junction 6 of the M6 was opened in 1972.

"It would be a boost to the civil engineering and construction sectors and significantly improve connectivity to the region, with the hub near Birmingham International Airport serving the needs of Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire."

However, responding to a consultation document on the scope of compensation arrangements for those adversely affected, BVWM expressed a number of concerns.

Mr Watkins said: "Despite the clear advantages of this scheme, the compensation arrangements need to take proper account of local rural businesses that will initially be adversely affected by the plans. There is disappointment that this consultation process focuses on properties affected by the line development but not on the land that will be taken away as a consequence.

"Compensation arrangements should be put in place at an early stage so that planning blight does not render land-based businesses economically unviable. We believe we must learn the lessons of the construction of the M6 toll road when rural businesses had to wait a long time before compensation agreements were reached which was debilitating for those concerned as well as for local jobs. Similar problems occurred with the construction of the A1 (M) in the 1990s.

"With the line expected to be far wider than a conventional rail route, once the central separation strip is added to the buffer zones on either side, there could be a width of around 70 metres - a lot of land to take off a typical farm, for example.

"Addressing the needs of rural businesses is critical if this project is to benefit the whole community."

And Mr Watkins also hailed the Queen's Speech pledge on high speed broadband.

He said: "Business is pleased that the Government has announced that it is committed to rolling out next generation broadband across the UK.

"The West Midlands has been leading the way thanks to the leadership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' Glyn Pitchford. We will look to urgently instigate talks with the Government to make sure the region is at the heart of the broadband push."