The government is set to announce its intention to build a new rail link between Birmingham and Manchester, the understands.
Previous plans for the HS2 high-speed rail line had included a line between the two cities, but that part of the project was scrapped by Rishi Sunak’s government.
On Wednesday, the government is expected to confirm plans for new and improved rail links across the North of England in a scheme known as Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).
Little detail about a new Birmingham to Manchester route is anticipated, other than the intention to build it after NPR is completed, meaning it may not happen for decades.