Two Cumbrian MPs have had a top-level meeting with the boss of the key body with the job of telling government how to improve northern transport networks.

Carlisle MP John Stevenson and his Copeland colleague Trudy Harrison this week spent more than an hour putting the case for infrastructure investment in Cumbria to Transport for the North’s outgoing chief executive David Brown.

They stressed the need to upgrade the A595, A69, and rail links between east and west Cumbria, said Mr Stevenson.

The MP hopes that key officials for the organisation will agree to visit the county so that he can meet local politicians and business leaders and hear from them why Cumbria should be given priority for infrastructure investment.

Mr Stevenson said: “Transport for the North are going to be central to getting infrastructure schemes accepted by central government.

“We feel that the organisation is now very aware of the need for improvements on the A595 and the A69, and our rail links with west Cumbria.

“They’re aware now that the existing infrastructure is poor and the need for improvements is now very much on their agenda. We wanted to make sure that Cumbria speaks with one voice about the need for investment.”

Mr Stevenson pointed to a number of huge business projects which are on the horizon – including the planned upgrade of Carlisle Airport, which aims to see passenger flights to London and Dublin by the summer of next year; the Moorside nuclear power plant project; and the prospect of a new west Cumbrian coal mine.

“I feel very upbeat about this,” said Mr Stevenson. “I genuinely feel that Transport for the North recognises the infrastructure needs of Cumbria. Their role is to identify where investment can drive an economy forward and create jobs.

“I’m now trying to facilitate a meeting in Cumbria so that Transport for the North can meet with local business people and local authority members. We have to speak with one voice to take advantage of the funding that may soon be available.”

The organisation’s website explains its purpose with this statement: “Transport for the North (TfN) is the organisation formed to transform the transport system across the North of England, providing the infrastructure needed to drive economic growth.

“We are a unique partnership, with elected and business leaders from all areas of Northern England uniting to work with central government and national transport bodies.

“Our role is to add strategic value by ensuring that funding and strategy decisions about transport in the North are informed by local knowledge and requirements.

“This fits with the devolution agenda and TfN will draw powers down from central government rather than up from local government.”