Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what transport infrastructure projects his Department is planning in the (a) north of England and (b) Midlands to help deliver the Government's levelling up agenda.

The Government is delivering major investment in transport infrastructure in the North and Midlands to help unite and level up the UK.

Last year’s Spending Review and National Infrastructure Strategy underlined the government’s ambition to deliver on key transport infrastructure projects and programmes in the North and Midlands. We are committed to increasing the share of investment in the North and Midlands, and enhancing critical rail and road networks in those regions. Investments we have set out have included:

Boosting towns and cities in these regions – building on the Transforming Cities Fund which has committed over £500 million investment in public and sustainable transport in some of the Midlands’ largest city regions, with additional funding for five-year intra-city transport settlements for eight English city regions, of which six are in the North. We have also announced a £4 billion Levelling Up fund which will invest in local infrastructure including transport – e.g. bypasses and other local road schemes, bus lanes, and railway station upgrades.

The National Bus Strategy, published this month, also sets out a bold vision for bus services in England outside London. Backed by £3 billion, the strategy will deliver better bus services for passengers, strengthening communities and sustaining town centres across the country.

Delivering on major rail and road projects – this spring the Government intends to publish the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) for the North and Midlands, setting out how we will deliver HS2 Phase 2b, Northern Powerhouse Rail, Midlands Rail Hub and other major rail programmes in the North and Midlands. We are also working on restoring lines and stations closed during the Beeching cuts.

Alongside this, a number of strategic roads projects in the North and Midlands will benefit from the £27 billion Roads Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) funding package, while significant investment will contribute to local roads improvements.