Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2026 to Question 122888, whether her Department has set a timetable for the further work required to develop plans for a North–South line between Birmingham and Manchester.

The Northern Growth Strategy set out the Government’s intention to ultimately deliver a full North-South new line between Birmingham and Manchester. Further work will be carried out in collaboration with local partners on what will be delivered and when, but we expect the delivery timelines for this line to follow the completion of HS2 and NPR.