Electrification of the Trans-Pennine Express line, restoration of the rail link from Oxford to Bedford and a number of road improvements mainly in the Midlands are among a bundle of new infrastructure projects announced in Chancellor George Osborne’s autumn statement.

Osborne said he would commit £5bn of public spending to infrastructure over the next three years, with a similar amount to follow in the subsequent three, and that he had secured £20bn from pension funds to invest in this programme.

The move came as part of the Government’s efforts to engender economic growth amid gloom about the economy’s prospects, made worse by the eurozone crisis.

Osborne also said he would look again at increasing airport capacity in the south east, though he ruled out any expansion at Heathrow.

The main infrastructure projects announced were:

• electrification of the Transpennine Express route from Manchester to Leeds;
• support for the East-West rail project between Oxford and Bedford;
• a new dual carriageway access road to Manchester airport, linking it to the A6 south of Stockport;
• widening of the A453 between Nottingham, the M1 and East Midlands airport;
• improvements to bridges, stations and rail winter resilience;
• funding of the A14 Kettering bypass between Junctions 7 and 9, the A45/46 Tollbar End improvement scheme.

Osborne also offered support for train fares to limit the increases due to take effect in the New Year.

He said: “Train fares are expensive – and they’re set to go up well above inflation to pay for the much needed investment in new rail and new trains.

“But RPI plus 3% is too much. The Government will fund a reduction in the increase to RPI plus 1%.

“This will apply across National Rail regulated fares, across the London Tube and on London Buses.”

But a 10% increase in airline passenger duty (APD) is to proceed in April despite a vociferous campaign against it by the airlines.

Figures will be announced 6 December and the Chancellor said the tax would also be extended to flights taken on business jets.

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