A million-pound study is underway to see whether one of the longest tunnels in Europe could be built to cut travelling times between Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds.
The TransPennine tunnel was originally proposed in 2014 by Chancellor George Osborne.
The new route could cut journey times from Manchester to Sheffield and Leeds in half, with speedier links between the northern airports and the port of Liverpool.
Infrastructure and business services joint venture firm Mouchel/Hyder have won the £1.3 million contract from the Department for Transport for a study to see if the plans would actually work.
The idea is for a new highway route between Manchester and Sheffield, and a possible combination with passenger rail and freight rail.
The new route would cross the Pennines and the Peak District National Park by a road tunnel extending several miles.
Road Minister Andrew Jones said:“As part of our long-term economic plan we are investing a record £13 billion in transport for the North and North-East.
“Today’s announcement will look at building stronger links between Manchester and Sheffield, meaning more jobs and opportunities for people across the region.
“It is just one of the steps this government is taking to ensure working people across the country benefit from our investment in better transport.”
Dr Jon Lamonte, lead officer for Transport for the North, said: “We welcome this important milestone and look forward to the commencement of the study which is a key element of Transport for the North’s longer-term transport strategy. We look forward to continued working with Highways England and the Department for Transport to deliver the vision for a Northern Powerhouse.”
