A start – but a long way to go

If there was a public transport alternative, and it is noteworthy that the much-vaunted Leeds Trolleybus scheme is among many vital projects in the region still on hold, then the delays may have been tolerable.

Yet, while the inadequacies of Britain's road and rail infrastructure is the consequence of decades of under-investment, this was accentuated by New Labour's failure to put in place adequate financial controls on those schemes that it did sanction.

That said, it is reassuring that David Cameron recognises the need to undertake major improvements in Yorkshire – and that the region, from an economic standpoint, cannot afford to play second fiddle to London when it comes to the allocation of Whitehall funds and political priorities. Astutely, the Prime Minister also appears to acknowledge the fact that major infrastructure projects can create vital jobs.

The problem, from the Government's perspective, is that the proposed schemes could still take many years to come to fruition, and many of the projects outlined yesterday have already been announced, like the welcome improvements to Leeds Station.

Though the conversion of the hard shoulder running along the M1 and M62 will create extra capacity, it is only a short-term solution. After all, the above-inflation increase to rail fares is likely to put the road network under even greater pressure.

Furthermore, the schemes outlined appear to be a wish-list despite the Ministerial spin – the 600m funding pot for 2011-15 will only go so far, even if efficiency savings are achieved. This spells bad news for those crucial projects, such as the improvements to the A63 through Hull, that do not appear to enjoy priority status.

This project is critical to attracting new investment to a neglected part of Yorkshire. And, in many respects, it represents a fair test of this Government's transport commitment. If funding can be found, the coalition will deserve to be congratulated for putting the English regions first. If it, and the other schemes on the Government's long list, remain on the drawing board, Ministers will be guilty of neglecting Yorkshire – just like their predecessors.