SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies called on Theresa May to give Yorkshire “its fair share of the transport infrastructure cake” during Prime Minister’s Questions.

He said many of his constituents felt Yorkshire was losing out to London and the south-east in particular.

He said: “Will the Prime Minister therefore promise to significantly increase the proportion of transport infrastructure that is spent in the north generally and Yorkshire in particular in this Parliament?”

Mr Davies told Mrs May she could “start as she means to go on by ensuring that we get the much-needed and long-awaited Shipley eastern bypass”.

The Prime Minister said it was “not about making a choice between north and south”.

She said: “We are carrying out one of the biggest investments in transport in the region for a generation, spending £13 billion—the largest in Government history—on northern transport in this Parliament. On the Shipley eastern relief road, I believe there is a decision to be taken by the local authority. We do want to see such improvements being supported, which is why we have allocated up to £781 million for the West Yorkshire Plus transport fund to deliver local priorities.”

Mr Davies said afterwards that he would be speaking with Bradford Council and West Yorkshire transport bosses about the Shipley Eastern bypass to keep the matter at the forefront of their minds.

He added: “This should be a priority, it was first mentioned years ago in the Airedale plan and I am frustrated that different people say it is the responsibility of others to ensure the scheme gets sorted.

"I will keep talking to everyone involved as my constituents need this road and it will bring so many benefits to the area. Not only will it ease congestion and make travelling much easier, it will bring economic benefits too.”

Government funding for transport in the North has come under intense scrutiny in recent months, particularly after Transport Secretary Chris Grayling cancelled a rail electrification programme in the North-West.