The UK Government has confirmed it will pursue the ‘Y’ option for building a high-speed rail network linking London to Birmingham in England.
The proposed option will have two separate corridors, one to Manchester, and the other to the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.
The Y-shaped network will allow faster journey times to Leeds and the north east and will serve the East Midlands and South Yorkshire with over 40,000 more trips daily.
The department for transport said the 'Y' option is projected to generate £10bn ($15bn) more in revenues than the alternative 'reverse S' option.
Consultation will begin early next year.
