The boss of a northern transport group says there are "huge economic opportunities" for Cumbria if the road and rail network are upgraded.

David Brown, chief executive of Transport for the North, was speaking at a meeting of business leaders at Carlisle Airport.

Improvements to the area's rail network and roads - particularly the A69 and A595 were high on the agenda.

He said: "Transport for London is a huge success and there is no reason why the Transport for the North group can't be the same. It will become a statutory body from April next year.

"Rail transport from east to west and west to east need to be improved.

"We need to reduce journey times.

"Businesses need to make their voices heard - as well as councillors and politicians."

Mr Brown began his career shunting rail carriages at Kingmoor Yard rail depot in Carlisle.

He said: "We need to improve journey times to make it easier for people to move around."

The meeting was organised by Carlisle MP John Stevenson.

He said he was "delighted" that Mr Brown had travelled to Carlisle for the meeting.

He said: "Infrastructure is a huge issue. There has been some investment at the railway station in Carlisle and more than £11m is being put into the airport starting in Spring next year.

"I think people are starting to realise that the north is not just about Manchester and Liverpool.

"This is the first time that roads like the A69 and A595 have been on the agenda. We need to keep pushing that.

"I don't think you get anything unless you keep badgering people relentlessly. I think it's generally beginning to come together.

"What we need to see is journey times coming down. I'd like people to be able to travel between Carlisle and Newcastle in an hour.

"We need to keep constantly improving these roads."

The meeting, at the airport's distribution centre, was attended by Cumbria county councillor Ian Stewart and Jason Gooding from Carlisle City Council.