Included with the budget were a number of specific announcements for the North West including £300 million to improve transport links. These were:

• Giving the green light to HS3 between Leeds and Manchester with £60 million to develop plans to reduce journey times to around 30 minutes, and developing longer-term plans for improving links between the North’s other major cities
• Exploring options for a Trans-Pennine tunnel between Sheffield and Manchester with £75 million to develop its plans, as well as looking at options to enhance the A66, A69 and the north-west quadrant of the M60
• Delivering further improvements to roads, with £161million for Highways England, including the upgrade of the M62 to a four-lane smart motorway between junction 10-12 Warrington to Eccles and junction 20-25 Rochdale to Brighouse
• Improving the North’s major rail stations including £3.75 million to support the development of HS2 Growth Strategies for Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport and Leeds stations
• Accelerating the development of other critical road projects in the North, including Lofthouse and Simister Island junctions and delivering on the commitment to begin upgrades to the M56 at junctions 6-8 south of Manchester in this Parliament.