THE North-East is "constantly fighting with one arm tied behind its back", it has been claimed, after it emerged London is set to receive seven times more transport investment per person than the North-East.
Analysis of the Government's transport spending by think-tank IPPR North published yesterday shows the capital will receive £3,636 per person, compared with £519 in the North-East and £511 in Yorkshire, over the next 15 years.
The findings also revealed that if the North had seen the same per person investment as London over the last decade, it would have received £66bn more.
Marianne O'Sullivan, North-East England Chamber of Commerce policy adviser, said: "The report highlights how urgently the Government needs to invest in the region's infrastructure. If it wants to commit to increasing economic growth and productivity across the North there needs to be increased spending, we need quality infrastructure to match the ambition.
"We need the Government to invest in the East Coast Mainline creating more capacity services connecting the North East to the rest of the UK. Improvements will also be essential in ensuring that both Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 trains can reach the North East.
"We need the Government to commit to the whole of Northern Powerhouse Rail, not just the Manchester to Leeds route as well as ensuring HS2 is complete in the North."
Redcar MP Anna Turley said: "These figures are a stark reminder of the inequality of investment in this country. This region has so much potential to drive Britain’s economy and for people here to flourish and be successful, but we are constantly fighting with one arm tied behind our backs due to the lack of investment in crucial infrastructure.
"We need decent investment here to rebalance the economy and allow our region to thrive."
Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham added: "It seems impossible to move more than a few hundred yards in London without coming across major transport infrastructure projects so the fact that spending per person in the North East is significantly lower than in the capital is unsurprising, and shows once again that the North/South divide is a real and pressing issue."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here