£4.2bn new rail cash pledged
Transport Secretary Justine Greening has announced an additional £4.2bn investment in Britain's rail, calling it a "historic landmark" for Britain's transport system.
Speaking to MPs this afternoon, she detailed new spending plans which will increase the total funding for renewing the rail network to £9.2 billion by 2019.
But Labour claimed the Government's announcement was no more than a rehash of policies introduced under the last government. Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle described the announcement as "cuts in this Parliament replaced by promises for the next".
Ms Greening said Labour "had 13 years to crack on with this, so if they didn't do it they've only got themselves to blame".
The total funding is expected to include existing projects Crossrail and Thameslink, as well as new projects on the Midland Main Line, rail investment in the Manchester area, upgrades to the East Coast main line, the reopening of the east-west link and electrification of other key lines.
Ms Greening described this as creating an "electric spine" for the UK, for both freigh and passenger trains.
Earlier today, David Cameron hailed "the biggest investment in our railways since Victorian times".
In a speech in the West Midlands, he added: "By the time this is complete around three quarters of all rail journeys in England and Wales will be made on electric trains."