THE Shadow Transport Secretary has called for a wide-ranging review of the region’s roads and railways.

Labour’s Lilian Greenwood said rather than making one-off announcements the Government should take a more “all together” approach to transport improvements.

The Government is committed to a £13 billion blueprint for transport investment across the so-called Northern Powerhouse, including improving the A1 around Gateshead and dualling the A1 through Northumberland.

Last month, £500,000 was pledged to investigate the case for improving the A66 between the A1(M) and the M6 in Cumbria.

But Ms Greenwood said: “Connectivity between the east and the west of the country is important but we should take a look at the whole. When you’re looking at transport you need to look at all things together.”

The MP was speaking during a visit to Newcastle and Gateshead to learn about Tyne and Wear’s bus quality contracts scheme and the bid for a new fleet of Metro trains. She said it was an “exciting time” for transport in the region.

Responding to the North-East devolution agreement announced on Friday (October 23), she said Labour believed in localising decision making but devolution should not depend on accepting a directly elected regional mayor.