York and North Yorkshire Mayor launches transport consultation

David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, has launched a 10-week public consultation to develop the region’s first comprehensive Local Transport Plan (LTP). The strategy aims to create a safer, more sustainable, and better-connected network by improving infrastructure such as bus stops, rail connectivity, road surfaces, and cycle paths.

The Mayor emphasized that the current transport system has not been “good enough for too long” and intends for the plan to be shaped by daily commuters. While the consultation focuses on making travel easier, safer, and greener, the Mayor noted that the scope does not include a specific consultation on making travel cheaper.

The initiative comes amid discussions regarding regional funding disparities. Data indicates a significant gap in transport spending per capita between London and the North; transport spending per head in London is approximately £1,183, compared to £441 in Yorkshire and the Humber. Research suggests that if the North had received London-level funding over the last decade, the region would have seen an additional £140 billion in investment.