Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of his proposals for (a) HS2 and (b) Northern Powerhouse Rail on journey duration from York to (i) Birmingham, (ii) London, (iii) Manchester and (iv) Leeds.

The plans set out in the Integrated Rail Plan will reduce journey times across each of these routes from York as follows (based on current journey times): Birmingham - 147 to 110 minutes; London - 112 to 98 minutes; Manchester – around 83 to 55 minutes (typical fastest time ranges from c.80 to 86 minutes depending on Manchester station), and Leeds - 22 to 19 minutes.