Yorkshire Post Manifesto: Transport

The region has some of the country's most dangerous roads, an over-crowded and ailing rail network, numerous towns blighted by traffic congestion and the largest city in western Europe without its own rapid transport system but Whitehall is still reluctant to fund changes.

Last year, public spending on transport projects in Yorkshire was only two-thirds of the national average, at just 213 per head. In London, the figure was 783.

The catalogue of Yorkshire's unfunded public transport projects has been well-publicised, with the Government's decision to drop the Leeds Supertram project in 2005 still particularly raw.

Rail links in the region and across the Pennines remain desperately out-dated and overcrowded. But perhaps even more crucial over the longer term will be the arrival in Yorkshire of high-speed rail.

Yorkshire is the second worst-funded region in England.

Last year it received 213 per head for transport, 11 per cent less than in 2008.

London received 783 per head for transport funding last year

Trans-Pennine rail links are "not fit for purpose" according to a think-tank report.

CASE STUDY: ENDING CONGESTION

Matt Jukes is director of the Port of Hull, one of the UK's leading foreign trade ports and catering also for nearly a million ferry passengers each year. He believes a lack of investment in the road links are holding back both the port and many other businesses.

"Road capacity is a big issue," he said. "In Hull the one that everybody talks about is the upgrade to the A63 Castle Street. It's of key importance to us, not just as a port but as a city."

It has taken nearly 20 years for a 150m redevelopment scheme to be approved.

But there are fears the scheme could be cut altogether by the next Government.

Mr Jukes said this must not be allowed to happen.

"We have this fantastic geographic asset and we're unable to take full advantage because of the bottlenecks right next to the port."