Hull Daily Mail 17th January 2018 “This week’s launch of Transport for the North’s strategic plan saw Lord Prescott storm out of the Hull launch, labelling the initiative as a “bloody fraud”. The former Hull East MP and Deputy Prime Minister stunned invited guests at the event with his outburst. He claimed the partnership of local councils, business leasers and academics was just a talking shop with no real powers to do anything. He said: “It can talk to the treasury along with the strategic bodies but it can’t make a decision. It doesn’t get any money.”

His views were echoed by Hull North MP Diana Johnson. She said: “Unfortunately, Transport for the North is still only an advisory body, without the powers to drive the real change required that Transport for London has. This means that ministers and civil servants in Whitehall can still slow down or block any plans it develops. Transport for the North has aspirations for many improvements, but some are as far away as 2050. Huge London schemes such as Crossrail 2 are already on the drawing board and are far more likely to get going within the next few years.

“I believe that for decades ahead, unless there is a fundamental change in government thinking, we will not see the north getting the much-needed fairer share of transport investment that would be in the interests of the whole UK economy.”

Read more here.  And see also 16th January The ambitious 30-year transport vision for the north which could revolutionise links to Hull