MINISTERS are laying out multibillion-pound plans to improve transport in northern England.

Chancellor George Osborne said the "Northern Powerhouse" plans has the potential to "revolutionise transport in the North".

In the North-East, there are plans for a new rail route linking Leeds to Newcastle with a journey time of around 50 minutes - compared to a best time of 87 minutes currently. It has an estimated cost at this stage of between £8.5bn and £14bn.

There are also plans to improve the A1 to provide continuous motorway standard between London and Newcastle.

The schemes are in a Northern Transport Strategy report published today (Friday) by the Government and the newly-formed organisation Transport for the North (TfN). It is being launched in north west England today by Chancellor George Osborne and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

Mr Osborne said: "Connecting up the great cities of the North is at the heart of our plan to build a Northern Powerhouse. This report has the potential to revolutionise transport in the North and we will work closely with TfN to help make it a reality.

"From backing high-speed rail to introducing simpler fares right across the North, our ambitious plans for transport means we will deliver a truly national recovery where every part of the country will share in Britain's prosperity."

However, Mick Cash, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: "This is yet more pie-in-the-sky nonsense from the Government on the so-called Northern Powerhouse when in reality transport services across the region in the real world are lumped with clapped-out, overcrowded trains with any replacement programme light years off."

He went on: "The lashed-up Pacer trains will be running for years to come and the threat that they will be joined on northern routes by old Underground trains remains very real. On top of that there remains a threat to jobs, services and safety in the drive for fatter profits from the new Northern and TransPennine Express franchises."