THE six people vying to be the first York and North Yorkshire mayor will go head to head over their transport policies next month.

York Cycle Campaign and York Civic Trust are heading a list of organisations that are sponsoring an election husting at Friargate Meeting House in central York on April 8.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister for the Lib Dems, Keane Duncan for the Conservatives, Kevin Foster of the Green Pary, David Skaith of the Labour party and Independents Paul Haslam and Keith Tordoff are all expected to attend.

The 90-minute meeting which starts at 6.30pm will concentrate on transport issues.

Elly Fiorentini of BBC Radio York will moderate a BBC Question Time style question and answer session with the candidates.

The mayor will have powers and funds to improve transport through a consolidated, devolved, multi-year transport settlement, as well as powers for housing and infrastructure, and responsibilities for community safety and other roles currently held by the county’s police, fire and crime commissioner.

The mayoral election will be held on May 2 and will be the first ever held in York and North Yorkshire for a joint mayor. The winner will work from offices in York and Northallerton.