UK Budget: Govt commissions high speed rail link between Leeds-Manchester

UK Finance Minister George Osborne confirmed the government would commission a high speed rail link between the northern cities of Manchester and Leeds, as part of an initial commitment of to £300m for major transport projects.
in Wednesday's annual Budget.

Other schemes to get the green light were an 18 mile road tunnel beneath the picturesque Peak District and a north-south London link, known as 'Crossrail 2' to connect the outer London regions of Hertfordshire and Surrey.

In a report released on Tuesday, Infrastructure Commission chairman Andrew Adonis said electrification of the railway line between Manchester and Leeds should be "seen as the first stage on the road" towards Britain's third high speed rail link.
Lord Adonis said electrification of line would bring journey times down to 40 minutes, and then 30 with high speed trains.