IT will come as no surprise that up to ten times as much money is spent on transport in London as it is in the north of England.

Nearly £2,000 per head each year will be spent on road and rail projects in the capital over the next five years, compared with £190 in Yorkshire and the Humber, a gap that experts say is damaging the region’s economy. The researchers at the IPPR North think tank said that almost £2bn more is being spent on Crossrail, the new underground line in London, than on every northern transport project combined.

All of that expenditure does not take into account the projected billions to be spent on HS2. Despite not receiving Royal Assent, the HS2 team is ploughing on spending our money for something that will be outdated before it is built and which will bring no economic benefits to anywhere other than the capital and the south east.

If we had a more proportionate spending plan for the North in road and railways, we would out-perform the south and generate our own revival for a fraction of the money.

When will we get our voice and drown out the “Metro Elite” and their political lap dogs and build a country for all not just the south east? We have bent over backwards for Scotland – now it is time for the North to be considered.

Chris Gallacher, chairman, Ukip Redcar