Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has stopped short of a firm commitment to the electrification of the Hull to Sheffield and Leeds rail lines.

On a visit to Hull Interchange on Monday to speak to station staff and British Transport Police officers on the front line on Hull's day of rioting, Hull Live also asked if the new government was committed to the electrification of the lines. Ms Haigh indicated there is a review of ongoing and committed infrastructure projects made by the previous Conservative government.

Announcements will be made in the budget in October and comprehensive spending review in spring. While she did not commit to the lines' electrification, the Transport Secretary did state connectivity across the north of England was the only major infrastructure commitment made by Labour in its manifesto.

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Ms Haigh was asked if the new government was committed to electrification of the Hull to Sheffield and Leeds rail lines, and if Network Rail had been asked to carry out preliminary work yet. The previous Conservative government committed to the lines' electrification in 2023, but did not take any further steps.

The Transport Secretary said: "Well, connectivity across the north of England was the only infrastructure commitment that we made in our manifesto, because as a Sheffield MP, I know how important that connectivity is, East-West across the north. But the previous government made lots and lots of unfunded spending commitments that I'm not going to continue to do, so I am taking a proper look at all the infrastructure work that is ongoing and that was committed to, and what is strategically right for the country. We'll be making announcements in the budget and the comprehensive spending review in the spring."

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Asked further if it was a case of watch this space on electrification, she said: "That's right. But be in no doubt, Diana Johnson lobbies me on it every day. There is no question that I know how important electrification is, not just to Hull, but to the whole of the north of England."