Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has backed major redevelopment work at Crewe which will see HS2 serve more communities in the North.

Work to extend one of the platforms at Crewe station to 400 metres will mean more high-speed services will be able to stop there and mean services can split, enabling part of the HS2 train to travel to Stoke-on-Trent.

Mr Grayling also said the design of the HS2 line from the South at Crewe would be redesigned so it uses the two existing lines on the network.

The Government is now going to ask the bidders for what will be known as the West Coast Partnership franchise to include high speed services to Stoke-on-Trent in their plans.

Three joint ventures are vying for control of the contract, which will begin next year and run until 2026. Those in contention are First Group and Trenitalia; Hong Kong-based MTR and Guangshen Railway Company; and Stagecoach, Virgin and French-owned SNCF.