It's Time for a Fair Deal on Transport Funding - Kirk

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 11th Aug 2009

People in York and its villages are missing out on vital public transport funding, new figures have shown.

The figures were released by the Liberal Democrats after a study by the Passenger Transport Executive Group (PTEG) which compared public transport funding in the North of England with that in London.

The report found that average transport spending per head in London was £826 whilst in Yorkshire and the Humber it was just £239 - the second lowest in the country.

Madeleine Kirk continues to campaign for better transport funding

Commenting, Prospective Lib Dem MP for York Outer, Madeleine Kirk, said: "These figures show that, once again, the Government is neglecting our area. It's time they realised there is life outside of the M25!

"If the Government funded our region properly we could have an affordable and reliable public transport network that would encourage more people to leave their cars at home. This would help ease traffic congestion and be good for the environment.

"The Lib Dems have long been arguing that we need proper investment in our public transport network, especially local rail services. I have been campaigning for many years to get rail halts reopened in Haxby and Strensall. It's encouraging that progress has been made in Haxby but this is just a first step.

"Investing in public transport is vital in the fight against climate change and would create thousands of green jobs."

Notes:

The full report can be found at http://www.pteg.net/NR/rdonlyres/0B1018EC-BFE3-4CD5-8FD3-C04C288E28D9/0/The2009ptegFundingGapreportfinal.pdf