The change now recommends tunnelling under Ealing and Northolt in a move which will shave 15 months off the construction time of the original surface route.

The new plans would see HS2 in continuous bored twin tunnels from Old Oak Common to West Ruislip – making it the longest tunnel on the route at 14km.

This would make the tunnel longer than any of the tunnels currently being built under London for Crossrail.

HS2 Ltd Community and Stakeholder Manager for London, Peter Fry, said: “The recommendation to build a tunnel through Ealing and Northolt shows what can be achieved by working with local people and that we value their input and suggestions.

“The study we commissioned found that for this specific section of the line, the cost of tunnel would be comparable with a route on the surface without the need to replace bridges and divert associated utilities.

“The proposed tunnel will be included as the preferred option in the draft Environmental Statement for the first phase of HS2, so the community and stakeholders will have the opportunity to respond to this proposal as part of the consultation in coming months.”

The original route of HS2 through north west London, as announced in January 2012, proposed following the little used, existing railway line along the Northolt corridor.

The latest alteration follows last week’s decision by HS2 chiefs to abandon plans to completely demolish and rebuild Euston station.

The complex redevelopment plan for the high speed train terminus would have involved a 12-year construction programme at the site.

Engineers have now drawn up a less ambitious plan to retain many of the existing platforms minimising disruption to train services and cutting years off the programme.