Prime minister Rishi Sunak has promised to 'upgrade' the energy coast train line linking Carlisle, Workington and Barrow in his key note speech at the Conservative Party Conference. 

Mr Sunak confirmed plans to cancel the leg of HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester but said that 'every penny' of the planned £36 billion leg would be spent on key infrastructure. 

Carlisle MP John Stevenson has previously called for improved east-to-west transport links and was name-checked by the prime minister for his campaigning. 

Mr Stevenson is the chairman of the Northern Research Group of Conservative MPs who have called for the 'Charles' line which would see high speed rail delivered from Manchester to Hull and the prime minister confirmed that the route would also see an upgrade. 

The Energy Coast Rail upgrade would see more space for freight and passenger trains and improve the reliability of the line more broadly – both essential to support inward investment and to meet the needs of businesses and communities along the length of the line and the wider rail network.

"A massive day for the North with the PM's announcement - investing £36billion into our region to improve transport infrastrcture and connectivity," said Mark Jenkinson MP

"With money set to upgrade the Energy Coast Line, this is an exciting time for my constituency and West Cumbria."