Transport bosses in West Yorkshire should look to other areas to learn how to spend its money more fairly to benefit all communities, Government has said.
Transport Minister Robert Goodwill made the comment in response to questioning from Shipley MP Philip Davies over how much cash had been spent in Shipley from the region’s transport budget.
Mr Davies said: “There has been £41 million of local transport funding to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority this year and government cannot tell me how much has been spent in my area. I think we can take it from that the answer is very little.”
Mr Goodwill said £233 million had been spent in the life of the Parliament to improve roads and transport schemes across the region but it was up to local authorities how to spend the money.
Mr Davies, who has been campaigning for years for the Shipley Eastern Bypass, quizzed the department on what they are doing to ensure Labour-run authorities are not spending the money in its own areas. He believes too much money is ploughed into Labour heartlands at the expense of his constituents.
Mr Goodwill added: “Maybe those in charge of West Yorkshire should look at some of our national projects. We are determined to invest where that is needed, in many cases that is the north of England, not in areas run by our own parties but in areas where we need to stimulate these jobs and contribute to the northern powerhouse which I hope the council and those in control in west Yorkshire will pay attention to.”
Mr Davies said he will keep fighting Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authorities for the money his area needs to improve infrastructure, ease congestion and to secure a fair deal from money allocated for the region.