Question to the Department for Transport:

What steps his Department is taking to connect more towns to the rail network.

We have pledged £500m to begin reopening closed railway lines and stations. We are funding plans to reopen the lines to Fleetwood in Lancashire and Ashington in Northumberland, and are making up to £20m available for new stations. We have written to my honourable friends inviting them to a briefing on 4th February where we will explain how they can put forward ideas for reopening and seek funding to develop existing and new schemes.