THE general election is hurtling towards us like an express train and, with a mere ten weeks to go, the promises are starting to come thick and fast.

The Chancellor, George Osborne, was in the North-East today and in predictably benevolent mood, pledging to do what he could to help save the savaged County Durham Plan, inject 50,000 jobs into the North-East economy, and make transport infrastructure improvements in the region a priority.

There was also an agreement to look again at calls from the English regions to be allowed to set their own air taxes to compete with a newly-empowered Scotland, but that fell short of any real commitment.

The sad truth, of course, is that most voters take pre-election promises with a very large dose of salt, no matter what colour rosette is worn by the politician wooing them. We have become accustomed to being let down.

That said, there does seem to have been genuine movement by the Government over the North-East's case for better rail services, supported by "The Right Lines" campaign in The Northern Echo.

In defiance of advice from top civil servants, ministers have told bidders for the Northern franchise that the fleet of outdated Pacer trains will need to be replaced, rather than merely updated. Operators have also been told to double the number of services on many routes, invest at least £30m on station improvements, while the winning bidder for the TransPennine Express service will be required to increase the number of services.

There has been a clear and welcome shift in the Government's original position, and that points to ministers having been made to listen to the strength of opinion coming out of the North-East.

Of courser, we still need to see the promises delivered – but we appear to be on the right lines at last.