New £10bn rail link expected to be given go-ahead in Budget

George Osborne is expected to give the go-ahead for High Speed 3 (HS3) in this week’s Budget as part of measures woo voters in northern cities ahead of the election.

The chancellor will green-light the new rail link between Leeds and Manchester ahead of a new report by the Department for Transport which is expected to endorse the construction of the UK’s lastest high-speed rail project.

HS3 is expected to reduce journey times between Leeds and Manchester by around 18 minutes and forms part of what Osborne calls a “northern powerhouse”.

According to The Independent, Osborne will make the case for the new rail project, which is expected to cost £7 - £10bn in his speech on Wednesday.

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