Localities to come forward with proposals for decentralising strategic transport funds

Consultation on devolution of major local transport decisions

With Government signalling its intention to decentralise the prioritisation of local major transport decisions, local authorities and local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) are invited to come forward with flexible proposals to transform local transport decision-making which will improve infrastructure and unlock local growth.   

The EESAL Group of county and unitary leaders has already emphasised that the relationship between local transport authorities and LEPs will be for local determination. With many of the East of England's most important transport links (e.g. A14, A11 and A12) cutting across LEP and local authority boundaries, flexibility is critical.  The consultation also calls for the highest standards of transparency and democratic accountability in taking decisions. It stresses too that the process should be as efficient as possible, keeping new bureaucracy to a minimum.

The consultation also reveals Government's preference for allocating funding on a purely population basis. This may mean that rural areas - like much of the East of England - do less-well than densely-populated cities. With much of Government's planned national spending on transport infrastructure like HS2 and Crossrail already seeing economic benefits concentrated on the core cities, this imbalance risks being compounded.   

The Association is working with transport managers, Portfolio-Holders and DfT colleagues so proposals come forward that press for further decentralised roles, such as on rail franchising. Close links to the LGA's Economy and Transport Programme Board through Councillor Shona Johnstone (Cambridgeshire CC and Vice-Chair of the Board) also mean the specific circumstances in the East of England are reflected in national activities. Portfolio-Holders will examine this in greater detail at the Regional Transport Forum on 9th March in Chelmsford.

The consultation can be found on the Department for Transport website with a deadline for responses of 2nd April.