Analysis by a leading think tank has shown that infrastructure spending in Yorkshire is lower than any other region and has urged the government to do more to increase transport spending across the North of England.

According to a hard hitting report by IPPR North, transport spending in Yorkshire and the Humber amounts to £844 per person. For London the figure is over £4,000.

Senior Research Fellow at IPPR North, Luke Raikes, said: “London is still set to receive almost three times more transport investment per person than the North. This is indefensible.

“The North has been underfunded in comparison to London for decades, and our figures demonstrate that ministers have failed to redress this imbalance. This failure will continue to hold back the North and the country until the government acts.

“Instead of disputing the figures the government needs to invest in the big, transformative projects being developed in the North such as Northern Powerhouse Rail.”

The Department for Transport have disputed the figures, describing them as “completely misleading”.

“Our analysis of planned central government transport investment shows that the spending for the North will receive more investment per person (£1,039) than the South (£1,029).”

Responding to the criticism, Mr Raikes said: “We stand by our figures and methodology but ultimately the general public will need to decide who is misleading whom.”

Ian White

(Image: Network Rail)