£9 billion investment in rail industry The work is intended to both cut journey times for passengers and provide capacity for a dramatic increase in freight traffic, which is predicted to rise by 23 per cent over the next seven years. Known as the High Level Output Specification, the latest industry five-year plans is intended to help end the north-south divide. Much of the investment, covering 2014-19, is aimed at the North with a series of projects known as the Northern Hub that will cut journey times between cities such as Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle. The emphasis on the North comes after a sustained period of investment on London and the South East which has seen huge sums of money poured into Crossrail, an east-west link across the capital, and Thameslink which will ease overcrowding on some of the busiest commuter services. As well as the Midlands line, a swath of the network in the Welsh Valleys will also be electrified. About £1 billion is expected to be allocated for a number of minor schemes, many of which are intended to link lines easing the problem of travelling across the country, which has always been more difficult than going north to south. It is expected that as a result of the latest plans 58 per cent of passengers will travel on electric trains. The latest investment plans are separate from the Government's long-term goal of building a £32.7 billion high-speed rail line from London to the North East and North West.