THIS Government does not care a jot about the problems faced every day by the people living in this area.

Prove us wrong Theresa May and invest a fair amount in our woefully inadequate road and railway network.

This week her Transport Minister claimed hundreds of millions of pounds were being spent to cut congestion and journey times across the UK, but only a paltry sum was allocated to road improvements in our region.

This comes as taxes paid by people in the North-East and North Yorkshire are being used to upgrade transport links across London and the South-East. For every £1 spent on transport infrastructure in our region, the Government splurges more than £10 in the capital.

Mrs May oversees a London-centric Government that regards the North as a burden rather than an asset that should be given the tools to add even more value to the national economy.

One reason behind this may be that there is no one at Westminster fighting our corner.

Earlier this week in a fit of pique, Mrs May sacked Tory grandee Lord Heseltine from his role as government advisor. A key part of his job had been to lead Tees Valley regeneration in the wake of the SSI closure.

Heseltine might have been a figurehead with minimal influence at the top of government, but having a political heavyweight talking on our behalf was better than nothing.

At the time he was appointed we also had the Northern Powerhouse minister who was an MP based in Tees Valley. He, too, might have lacked real clout but he at least gave us a voice in Westminster. Who speaks up for this region now?

We invite Mrs May to visit the North-East for herself, drive on our potholed roads and see, for example, how Darlington Station would benefit from an injection of cash. Or she can save herself the long journey and make a fair investment in our region today.