A NORTH-EAST MP has called for Teesside and Tyneside to work closely together following the announcement of an initiative to help bridge the North-South divide.
Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, welcomed Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's plan for a series of "growth corridors" to revamp the region's roads and housing, and improve job prospects, schools and hospitals.
The Northern Growth Corridor is designed to improve links between Liverpool and Manchester in the North-West to Leeds, Sheffield and Hull, as well as Newcastle and Sunderland, in the North.
Mrs Baird said: "This idea has potential and Teesside has to work closely with Tyneside to ensure that the benefits of this new strategic initiative are spread to increase prosperity more widely throughout the region.
"This adds extra emphasis to the need to keep the current service on the Newcastle to Saltburn line, which links most of the Teesside conurbation with Tyneside quickly and directly."
The regional development agencies covering the North-East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber will now draw up a shopping list of requests, due to be submitted in the spring.
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