PLANS submitted by transport chiefs in West Yorkshire have been shortlisted in a national transport funding competition, it has been revealed.

Last night, the Government announced that West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which includes Bradford and neighbouring areas, will go up against nine other areas for a share of an £840 million fund.

The money is designed to help areas to upgrade public transport links over the next four years, Prime Minister Theresa May said.

West Yorkshire’s initial reward for winning through to the next round of the competition is £50,000.

This money will be used to develop bids over the next year that could result in much more significant funding.

Each area will work closely alongside government to co-develop proposals to overhaul transport infrastructure in their communities, which could include projects such as developing smart technology to integrate bus, rail and cycling information, or investing in key corridors between communities where there is significant employment growth.

Meanwhile, £60 million from the fund will be made available over the next year to share across transport schemes aimed at tackling head on some of the challenges faced by communities, while the ten regions on the shortlist finalise their full proposals.

Mrs May said: “Right at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse, Yorkshire’s cities are renowned across the country for their industry and innovation.

“And we’re continuing to back communities across Yorkshire to maximise their potential for growth, with over £1 billion committed to the Great North Rail project and £106 million spent on improvements to the M1 around Sheffield.

“Alongside £13 billion committed to transport across the north of England, the Transforming Cities Fund will continue to empower our cities to put in place the infrastructure they need to thrive and make sure everyone has access to opportunities, regardless of where they live.”

Over the next four years, the new allocation of funding will be used to improve links between city centres and suburbs in further city regions, increasing access to jobs and helping ensure that businesses have the infrastructure they need to thrive.

The £840 million up for grabs in this competition is effectively the second stage of the Transforming Cities Fund, a £1.7 billion funding pot unveiled by the Government last year.

The first £840 million of that fund has already been allocated to six areas with so-called Metro Mayors, namely the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, the West of England, Cambridge & Peterborough, and Tees Valley.