The Government has announced a boost of more than £600m to the rail network in the North of England - and revealed the cities and regions set to benefit the most.
The Department for Transport announced the funds on Thursday, with the vast majority of the money - £589m - going towards upgrading and electrifying the Transpennine mainline between Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester.
It said the most congested section of the route will be doubled from two to four tracks, allowing fast trains to overtake slower ones, aimed at improving journey times and reliability for passengers across the North.
Most of the line will be electrified, with full electrification, digital signalling, more multi-tracking and improved freight capacity now "under consideration" as part of an ‘Integrated Rail Plan’ - due to report in December.
The department said the improvements will allow all-electric services between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, York and Newcastle, bring longer and more frequent trains, and create significantly more local capacity along the line.
Transport Secretary and Northern Powerhouse Minister Grant Shapps said: "People across the North rightly expect action, progress and ambition and this government is determined to accelerate improvements as we invest billions to level up the region’s infrastructure.
"We are determined to build back better at pace, and this new council will allow us to engage collectively and directly with elected northern leaders to build the vital projects the region is crying out for."
Also included in the 'Integrated Rail Plan' will be improvements to allow more freight on the route, replacing thousands of diesel lorry journeys with electric freight trains.
The funds will also see a new Northern Transport Acceleration Council, dedicated to accelerating "vital infrastructure projects" and better connecting communities across the North’s towns and cities.
It's hoped to ensure northern leaders have a direct line to ministers and has been formed with the desire to cut bureaucracy and red tape.
Made up of mayors and council leaders and with Mr Shapps as chair, it will hold its first meeting in September.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: "This feels like a gear change from the government in the delivery of transport improvements in the North of England and I welcome the new drive that the Transport Secretary is bringing to this.
"People here deserve a modern, reliable public transport system and it is my hope that the Northern Transport Acceleration Council will bring forward the day when that is a reality.
"It is crucial that the council listens to the voice of the North and is accountable to people here through their elected politicians and bodies such as Transport for the North.
The additional funding for the Transpennine route upgrade is a welcome sign of intent from the government. The North has long argued for the existing scheme to be upgraded to bring the full range of passenger and freight benefits and we are glad that the government has listened to this.
"But it is important to be clear that upgrading the existing railway between Manchester and Leeds does not diminish the need for a new line in Northern Powerhouse Rail nor does it solve the capacity issues in central Manchester which require a separate solution."
