KEVIN Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, was one of the signatories in a letter calling for £100 billion of Government funding to transform northern England’s transport network.

The demand comes at a time of significant problems on the region’s roads and rails. Plans to dual Ryedale’s main trunk road, the A64, amid frequent heavy congestion, is still in early development, and the York to Scarborough railway has been beset by problems since a timetable change in May.

Mr Hollinrake, the co-chairman of the Northern Powerhouse all-party parliamentary group, said things are at a “critical point”.

His letter called for a commitment to increase funding for major road and rail projects in the region to £100bn by 2050.

Mr Hollinrake said the extra investment could see the next generation enjoy opportunities across the region which are “currently beyond young people today”.

Signatories to the letter include a string of Tory MPs representing northern constituencies at a time when Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has come under fire for his handling of the Northern rail fiasco.

The Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) has estimated businesses have lost almost £38 million because of Northern Rail disruption.

The letter’s signatories, from across the political parties, call on the Chancellor to use his budget to commit £24bn of funding for the high-speed Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) scheme. That would include at least £200m a year to bring forward the target completion date to coincide with the planned arrival of the HS2 line to Leeds and Manchester in 2032.

Mr Hollinrake said: “This Government has embraced the economic principles of the Northern Powerhouse to address the decades of under-investment in the north.

“We are now at a critical point - Northern Powerhouse Rail has the potential not simply to improve rail travel but to deliver economic growth right across the north, not just in the core cities.”

Labour’s Caroline Flint, a co-chairman of the group, said: “Urgent action is needed to address the north’s outdated transport network. Investing up to £100bn in improving roads and rail is a must-have for the people of the north.”