Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on the delivery of the Northern Hub rail project.

The Northern Hub Programme aims to improve connectivity, journey time and frequency by improving infrastructure coupled with the new franchise commitments in the North. The full complement of infrastructure will enable an uplift in service provision in phases through to December 2019. Network Rail has already delivered parts of the programme. And there is more to come as part of the £1bn plus investment to upgrade rail infrastructure in the North of England. In 2014, 15 minutes was knocked off the fastest journey time between Liverpool and Manchester when Huyton and Roby Phase One was delivered. Further track improvements will increase the speed of trains between key cities such as Manchester and Preston, Manchester and Bradford. Provision of additional platforms (some are already delivered) at Manchester Airport, Rochdale, Bolton and Stalybridge will eventually enable more frequent through trains at Manchester Victoria and more and longer services through to the airport once other elements of the programme are built. Network Rail is progressing the work to deliver the Ordsall Chord by December 2017. Phase Two of the Huyton-Roby track improvements will enable more frequent trains between Manchester and Liverpool, and this is planned for delivery at the end of this year. Liverpool Lime Street is also being remodelled to accommodate more and longer trains, and this work is being planned to deliver by December 2018. Parts of the Calder Valley capacity and journey time improvement have completed in the West, with further works ongoing in the East for December 2018.