Chancellor George Osborne has announced funding for major transport infrastructure projects in the north of England and given a commitment to part-fund Crossrail 2.
In his Budget, which he described as ‘pro-infrastructure,’ Mr Osborne announced both substantive funding for new road and rail schemes and development funding for possible future schemes.
Mr Osborne thanked Lord Adonis for his work as chair of the National Infrastructure Committee, which he said had made a ‘strong start’.
The Government will allocate £60m to develop options for High Speed 3 between Leeds and Manchester, as well as options for improving other major city rail links.
It will also provide £80m, which it said, ‘together with a contribution from London, will allow Crossrail 2 to proceed’.
Mr Osborne has allocated of £16m funding to improve rail station facilities and will detail how £50m from the Pothole Action Fund will be allocated across England in 2016/17.
He said the Budget invested in infrastructure and would ‘redouble our efforts to make Britain fit for the future’.