The Department for Transport (DfT) is funding a range of road and rail projects in the UK.

Announced today (December 13th), this will include 25 road improvement schemes, supported through £49 million in funding from the Local Pinch Point Fund. This comes after 87 developments were announced earlier this year.

DfT will also give £111 million to upgrading the link between the M6 and Heysham, along with various other motorway improvements.

For rail, the department will fund the electrification of track between Wigan and Bolton, as part of a push to update the north of the UK.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "By investing in our local and regional transport infrastructure we can help support new jobs and boost our overall competitiveness in the global economic race."

As part of this, DfT has formed a taskforce with Network Rail, as well as members from train operators, local authorities, supply chains and parliament, to find ways to speed up production. This group will provide Mr McLoughlin with an interim report within the next 12 months.