Billions of pounds will be allocated in next week’s UK budget for England’s city regions to improve public transport.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak will commit £6.9bn ($9.5 billion)towards train, tram, bus and cycle projects when he sets out his spending plans on Wednesday.
Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire are among the regions that will benefit.
The funding was welcomed by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as “an important first step”.
Earlier this month, he launched a bid for £1bn ($1.38 billion) to create a London-style transport network for the region.
Areas set to receive funding include:
Sunak said: “There is no reason why somebody working in the North and Midlands should have to wait several times longer for their bus or train to arrive in the morning compared to a commuter in the capital.
“This transport revolution will help redress that imbalance as we modernize our local transport networks so they are fit for our great cities and those people who live and work in them.”