THERE is a widening north-south divide in spending on transport, according to new figures.

Spending in London is close to triple the outlay in the north of England and West Midlands, said the Passenger Transport Executive Group.

PTEG said an analysis of Treasury public spending figures showed that spending on transport has risen to £802 per head for London.

This compared with £248 per head for the North East, £333 for the North West, £272 for Yorkshire and Humberside, and £257 for the West Midlands.

PTEG, which represents passenger transport executives in Britain, said the gap had widened considerably since the previous years.

Chair of PTEG, Geoff Inskip, said: "London needs and deserves high quality public transport.

"And from Oyster cards to London Overground, and from St Pancras to the overhaul of the tube, London’s transport system has been transformed in recent years.

"However, it’s not just London’s transport system that needs a shot in the arm.

"Our cities are economic powerhouses but a greater level of transport investment in Britain’s major urban centres is needed to help bridge the North South divide and ensure that we can boost our economic performance and reach our potential.

"These funding gap figures validate what people can see with their own eyes - which is that in recent years transport spending in London has been in a different league when compared with the next tier of major cities."

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