A West Yorkshire transport chief has pledged to battle for funds to revitalise the region's rail network after the Government published its 10-year railway improvement plan.

West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority chairman, Councillor Mick Lyons, says the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) proposals could mark a "turning point" for the crisis-hit industry.

The Government has set aside £34.5 billion to tackle a range of problems over the next ten years including skills shortages, ageing trains, poorly equipped stations and below-target passenger levels.

In Yorkshire and the Humber the SRA aims to boost passenger numbers by 50 per cent and to cut over-crowding.

But Coun Lyons said sufficient, and targeted funding would be needed to achieve those goals.

He said: "The SRA has indicated a 15 per cent increase in funding mainly to tackle congestion in London and the South East. Metro will be putting forward vigorous arguments to ensure the additional funding we require is also allocated to local services in West Yorkshire."

But Steve Broadbent, Bingley-based co-ordinator of the Yorkshire and the Humber Transport Activists Roundtable, said he was far from convinced that the new plans will improve matters.

He said: "While London and the South East get billions for new stock and infrastructure projects, the region gets as near zero as makes no difference."

Friends of the Earth have also questioned how the plan can succeed without much greater funding.