Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce billions of pounds of investment in public transport - including £2.4 billion for the West Midlands to fund an extension of the region's metro.

The money will be used to extend the network from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter in the east side of the city.

The East Midlands will also receive £2 billion to design a new mass transit system between Derby and Nottingham .

It is part of a £15.6-billion package for mayoral authorities.

She argues that Britain “cannot rely on a handful of places forging ahead of the rest of the country”.

She is also expected to confirm that next week’s spending review will include changes to rules in the Treasury’s Green Book that determine whether projects receive funding.

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