A WISHLIST with £377m worth of ideas to spark a radical transformation of the North-East’s transport network has been revealed.

Restored rail services, station redevelopments and new cycling infrastructure are all part of an ambitious campaign to secure a massive pot of Government cash.

The call comes amid allegations the Government has “repeatedly breaking its promises” on transport investment in the north of England.

Next week, the region’s leaders are set to give their backing to a bid to the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), which they say would be a massive boost to the local economy and reduce reliance on cars.

The North-East, including County Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, is one of 12 city regions shortlisted to submit bids for a share of £1.28bn of funding.

A draft version that will be put before council leaders next week, before being sent to the Department for Transport, reveals that the region intends to ask for a maximum of £377.3m in funding.

Major schemes included in the list of 39 transport projects include £4.25m towards the demolition and redevelopment of Durham bus station as well as improved walking and cycling links into Durham city.

There are also proposals for spending £18.4m towards the redevelopment of Newcastle’s Central Station and £12.6m to redevelop Sunderland Railway Station.

Coun Martin Gannon, Gateshead Council leader and chairman of the North-East Joint Transport Committee (NEJTC), said: “We are seeking to transform the way people travel around the North-East because that unlocks access to jobs, training and opportunity and drives the whole economy.”

This week, 33 newspapers and websites across the north, including The Northern Echo, joined forces to call for Britain’s main political parties to commit to invest more to transport in the north.

Yesterday, shadow transport secretary Andy MacDonald called for the Northern Powerhouse to be “more than a slogan” and urged the Government to match Labour’s £10 billion plans for a Crossrail for the north.

But Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the previous Labour government’s record of investment in the north was lacking.

He added: “They spent nothing on new trains. They did not upgrade railways in the north. We are upgrading the roads in the north. We are upgrading the railways across the north.

“The Transpennine upgrade is a flagship scheme and the largest investment programme on the railways in the next control period. They have the brass neck to say that they’re the ones with a plan.”