Reeves pledges funds for northern rail but London left short

Rachel Reeves with Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, in November. The chancellor wants to strengthen rail routes across the north of England. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

Rachel Reeves committed to building a better railway across the north of England in a review that promised more transport investment around the country but left London disappointed.

The chancellor said the government’s plans to “take forward our ambitions for northern powerhouse rail” would be published shortly, and confirmed £3.5bn more funding to continue upgrades on the TransPennine route between Liverpool and Leeds.