Labour will press ahead with building a new high-speed rail line linking Birmingham with London and the North - and will run it directly as a public service, the Shadow Transport Secretary has pledged.
Lilian Greenwood, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, told the party's annual conference in Brighton that a future Labour government would build high speed rail "to revolutionise the links between the cities of the Midlands and the North".
But she made no mention of the specific scheme planned by the Government.
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The first phase of HS2 runs between London and Birmingham and involves constructing two new stations in the West Midlands, one at Curzon Street in Birmingham city centre and one near Birmingham Airport.
The second phase, including a track running from Birmingham to Manchester and Birmingham to Leeds, will be constructed later.
There are also proposals for a so-called HS3 line, running from the north east to north west across the Pennines and linking cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle.
One option Labour could consider is to concentrate on this east-west line rather than the second phase of HS2.
Mrs Greenwood told the conference: "As part of a modern railway, we need to build 21st century infrastructure to revolutionise the links between the cities of the Midlands and the North, to free up space for new commuter services and take more lorries off our congested roads.
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"So let's invest in high speed rail - and let's make sure it can be run under public ownership, as a public service: an integrated national asset that the country can be proud of."
Labour would not invite private firms to run rail services, she said.
"It is time for our railways to be run under public ownership, in the public interest, with affordable fares for all."
Under the present system, private train operating companies are invited to bid to run services such as Virgin Trains which has the franchise for long-distance services on the West Coast Main Line from London to Scotland via Birmingham.
The Government has not explained how it expects HS2 trains to be operated.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he supported proposals for an east-west rail line at a reception for activists.
He said: "We also need an investment in basic infrastructure, such as the east-west rail links in the north of England."
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Construction of the first phase of HS2 is due to begin in 2017, before the next election.
According to HS2 Ltd, the HS2 terminus station at Curzon Street in Birmingham will be one of the largest new stations built in Britain in 100 years.
An estimated 25,000 passengers will use it each day in 2026, increasing to 66,000 after the second phase of HS2 is completed.
Birmingham City Council plans to use the station as the centrepiece of a major regeneration project including a creative quarter centred on Digbeth, retail and business development around the station and a research, technology and education hub focussed on Aston University and the new Birmingham City University campus.