The White Rose Agreement between Yorkshire mayors is to be welcomed

The big fear around devolution is that Yorkshire becomes a collection of fiefdoms, operating separately from one another. In fact, the previous governments approach to so-called levelling up funding encouraged different combined authorities to compete against one another.

There are now three directly elected regional mayors in Yorkshire with a combined population of 4.5 million people. There is great potential in the mayors working with one another for the good of the wider region.

Lord Blunkett has been tasked with conducting a review into rail connectivity across Yorkshire and making recommendations to the Government as part of the new agreement. The Labour grandee is a good choice to lead the review but the question many people will be asking is what is the wisdom of yet another review?

The region has seen reviews into its broken railway system in the past with nothing to show for it. The only way another review would be effective is if it is conducted within parameters of what is achievable as things stand.

People in the region are all too aware of the Bermuda triangle of railway in Yorkshire, where trains are severely disrupted or all too often simply never appear.

Other commitments in the agreement such as championing Yorkshire and achieving good growth are also positive.

Hull and East Yorkshire will also elect a mayor in May. The pledge of the three mayors to work closely with whoever is elected Hull and East Yorkshire in May and potentially involve them in the White Rose Agreement is also encouraging. This needs to be the case regardless of the colour of the rosette that the successful candidate wears.