Lord Adonis has admitted the Government will not be ready to present plans for a high speed line from London to the West Midlands until March, potentially after the date of a 25 March General Election.
Theresa Villiers, Shadow Transport Secretary, said that "Labour have been struggling to keep up on high speed rail since 2008".
The Conservatives made their time-tabled and costed commitment 15 months ago - a plan to deliver a line connecting London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds with continental Europe through the Channel Tunnel.
Reacting to Adonis' admission, Villiers accused Labour of "dragging their feet" on High Speed Rail.
"Only a Conservative Government can guarantee to bring high speed rail to the north", she added.