Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Energy Coast Line Upgrades between Carlisle, Workington and Barrow have entered the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline; what the project’s Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage is; when approval was granted to enter that stage; and whether entry to the next stage will be granted.

Officials are currently working with local partners and Network Rail on plans for the proposed upgrade following the Network North announcement. The project is currently at the Strategic Development & Project Selection stage in PACE.