Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the (a) final cost to the public purse and (b) completion date of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester.

We are making progress on planning and delivering the schemes within Network North alongside our other rail enhancements priorities, working with Network Rail and other delivery partners to develop and deliver the benefits of this investment

The Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester is part of the Government’s Network North proposals, which commit to providing up to £2bn (in 2019 prices) for significant improvements in rail connectivity between Bradford and Manchester (via Huddersfield) and a new station in Bradford.

The £2bn from Network North is in addition to £500m committed in the Integrated Rail Plan to upgrading the line between Leeds and Bradford Interchange with opportunity to reduce journey times to as low as 12 minutes between Leeds and Bradford.

All the projects within Network North will be progressed and developed in line with the principles of Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE), which is the new approach used by Network Rail to govern, manage and progress rail enhancements, replacing GRIP. We are working closely with our Arms Length Bodies, and other delivery partners, to develop delivery timescales and further information will be shared once work is more mature.