No sign that the North will get fair transport funding for decades

Hull North MP Diana Johnson has responded to the launch of the new advisory body Transport for the North.

Hull North MP Diana Johnson said: "Unfortunately, Transport for the North is still only an advisory body, without the powers to drive the real change required that Transport for London has. This means that Ministers and civil servants in Whitehall can still slow down or block any plans it develops.

"Transport for the North has aspirations for many improvements, but some are as far away as 2050. Huge London schemes such as Crossrail 2 are already on the drawing board and are far more likely to get going within the next few years.

"I believe that for decades ahead, unless there is a fundamental change in government thinking, we will not see the North getting the much-needed fairer share of transport investment that would be in the interests of the whole UK economy.

"Indeed, with legislation currently going through Parliament, it looks like we will see commercial space flight established years before we see real improvements to the North's transport infrastructure!"