THE decline of Cumbrian roads has been described as “galling” after the government announced plans for a new road tunnel under the River Thames.

John Woodcock, MP for Barrow and Furness, has long called for improvements to transport links in the area.

He said: “For decades London and the South East has seen money thrown at new infrastructure projects, with transport spending in the capital 10 times higher per head than some other regions of England. It is galling to see this massive new project given the green light while here in Cumbria it has been a struggle to even get basic road upgrades to the A595 approved.

“If we are serious about spreading economic prosperity across the whole country, then the government needs to close the massive funding gap between the North and South and invest in the infrastructure that will allow Cumbria to achieve its potential.”

The Institute for Public Policy Research North said transport infrastructure projects should “harness the potential of the North” rather than “just reacting to congestion” in the South East.

The body claims £1,500 more per person is spent on transport schemes in London than in the North of England.

The new bridge is estimated to cost between £4.3bn and £5.9bn, while northern roads were given just £90m in the spring budget last month.

The Dove Ford pinch-point on the A595 was not mentioned in the plans for improvement.

Mr Woodcock promised to keep campaigning.”

He said: “Since Dove Ford is widely acknowledged to be among the worst stretches of the route, it was reasonable to hope money would be made available for improvements.

“It is another setback, but not time to throw in the towel. It is clear that sooner or later the situation at Dove Ford will need to be addressed. Our job is to keep campaigning until we obtain the necessary improvements.”