The purpose of the National Infrastructure Commission is to look to the long-term and provide expert advice to Government on how it can best support the development of our economic infrastructure to face the challenges of the coming decades.

In February, the government announced that the High Speed 2 rail route would go ahead, and ministers would look to publish an integrated rail plan for the Midlands and the North to help maximise the benefits of this huge project. Ministers asked the Commission to undertake an assessment of future rail needs for those regions and beyond to help inform that plan.

In the present climate, that work is understandably not the biggest priority facing most politicians, officials and indeed individual rail passengers across the country.