It is universally agreed that Cumbria badly needs investment in its transport infrastructure.

While the county does not suffer anywhere near the challenges of bigger urban areas, it has its own unique challenges. In many areas the infrastructure is not up to the job or the transport services woefully inadequate. 

This week saw the launch of Transport for the North’s (TfN’s) Strategic Transport Plan. TfN and its plan, we are told, has real clout. Described as more of an “economic plan than a transport plan”, by its chief executive Barry White (pictured), it has the potential to significantly boost the economy in the North and Cumbria, creating thousands of jobs in the process.

And, for once it seems, Cumbria has secured the recognition it deserves, nestled as it is in a region with several major cities and towns, with their own pressing transport needs. Cumbria has a major role to play in the North’s economic renaissance – a place critical when it comes to energy, defence, food and water supplies, and, of course, attracting visitors. The plan recognises this.

A number of the major projects included in the plan have already been announced. Only recently, £102 million of funding was set aside for the Carlisle Southern Relief Road – which will provide another link between the M6 and the A595 and, crucially serve the 10,000-home St Cuthbert’s Garden Village.

Back in October, the Government said it would stump up the cash for the desperately needed improvements to the A595 at Grizebeck – a notorious pinch point which does little to help the steady flow of traffic between the south and west of the county.

The announcement was the cause of much celebration, even though bypassing the farmyard at Dove Ford this road currently runs through was first raised back in the early 80s. Good things, it seems, come to those who wait.

The dualling of the A66 between the M6 in Penrith and the A1(M) at Scotch Corner is also well-known, and Highways England are progressing that project, which will cost somewhere between £100m to £500m according to TfN.

And in the south of the county, there is a commitment to improving junctions of the A590 in Ulverston and Swarthmoor while the, frankly dangerous, section between Greenodd and Ulverston will be upgraded to dual carriageway standard.

These are just some of the headline projects, but there are more already in the pipeline, such as the Whitehaven Relief Road, improvements to the A595 between Whitehaven and Carlisle and the conversion of junctions at Brigham and Broughton on the A66 into roundabouts.

It is, of course, not all about roads.

One of the most shocking statistics to come from TfN’s document is that in the North, almost 70 per cent of journeys are made by car and just one per cent by rail. To put it in to context, one per cent of journeys are made by bike.

While there are no specific figures for Cumbria, but we all know the car journeys would be much higher.

There is clearly scope to get more people onto the railways and that drum has been banged often enough.

Cumbria, again, has been poorly served in this area, particularly on the branch lines, despite the fact it has three stations on the West Coast Mainline which, when running well, is a real feather in the county’s cap.

The irony is that it can take just as long to get to Birmingham from Oxenholme the Lake District as it does from Carlisle to Barrow. 

Branch line trains obviously won’t be able to compete when it comes to speed, but with timings like that, it is no wonder commuters turn to their cars.

So, it is encouraging to see plan include improvements to the timetables and rolling stock along the Cumbria Coast Line, Furness Line and the Lakes Line – the latter having its fair share of woes in recent months. There are also mentions for the Borders Line, and a whiff that the Keswick to Penrith Line could be back on the agenda, given TfN’s recognition that tourism is an important theme in the plan.

Again, improvements to railway stations across the county have recently been announced, but it is interesting to see so much emphasis being put on improvements, to Carlisle’s train station in particular, in anticipation of the arrival of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail services.

There isn’t a commitment that either will venture to Cumbria – yet – even though the strongest possible case has been made for them.

At the end of the document there is a mention of a whole host of projects that have no timescales against them. And it could be argued some of these are the most interesting. On the roads they include improvements between the A66 and the Port of Workington, a new bypass for Ulverston, the much called for Kendal Northern Relief Road and improved access between the M6 and Carlisle Lake District Airport along the A689.

Some of these could be real gamechangers, but are many years away from happening.

And that’s really where the million, or should it be multi-billion-pound question, comes in. Where is the money to pay for all of this?

Transport projects are hugely expensive. Carlisle Southern Relief Road, for example, equates to £20.4m per mile. And transport projects are notorious for running over budget too. Projects included in the plan that are already progressing equate to £70 billion. You could add billions more by costing up those yet to leave the starting blocks.

The Government is the banker and, with finances already tight and expected to get tighter if Brexit happens, it could be a real uphill struggle to find the cash – particularly if Cumbrian projects end up competing with others across the North, which those holding the purse strings may view as being a greater priority.

The proof will be in the pudding.

Putting negativity to one side though, TfN’s plan should be seen as a positive for Cumbria – and a positive that has been of Cumbria’s making.

The draft plan circulated last year paid little attention to the county. That has changed dramatically thanks to the strong voice that has come from the key organisations and politicians.

Cumbria has missed out on so much investment in the past because it has failed to speak with one voice. When you’re shouting for attention alongside big city regions such as Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle, that voice not only needs to be loud but clear.

So, for this exercise it is a real positive that organisations have not only clearly articulated what is needed but have been heard.

Could Cumbria have got more? Maybe, although it is difficult to see what other projects would have made it into the document.

The real question is whether yet another document and high hopes on paper, materialises in to real improvements on the ground. We can only hope they do because they hold so much promise for Cumbria’s economy.